Document Document Title
US09244829B2 Method and system for efficient memory region deallocation
A method for deallocation of a memory region involving transmitting, by a host channel adapter (HCA), a first invalidation command for invalidating at least one key associated with the memory region, transmitting, by the HCA, a second invalidation command for invalidating a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) entry for the memory region, invalidate the at least one key associated with the memory region, determining whether all memory access requests to the memory region have been processed by the HCA, stalling processing of the second invalidation command when outstanding memory access requests to the memory region are present, and processing the outstanding memory access requests for the memory region by the HCA before executing the second invalidation command invalidating the TLB entry for the memory region.
US09244828B2 Allocating memory and using the allocated memory in a workgroup in a dispatched data parallel kernel
In a computing system, memory may be managed by using a distributed array, which is a global set of local memory regions. A segment in the distributed array is allocated and is bound to a physical memory region. The segment is used by a workgroup in a dispatched data parallel kernel, wherein a workgroup includes one or more work items. When the distributed array is declared, parameters of the distributed array may be defined. The parameters may include an indication whether the distributed array is persistent (data written to the distributed array during one parallel dispatch is accessible by work items in a subsequent dispatch) or an indication whether the distributed array is shared (nested kernels may access the distributed array). The segment may be deallocated after it has been used.
US09244819B2 Attribute value properties for test selection with cartesian product models
A method for modeling a test space is provided. The method comprises defining a coverage model including one or more attributes, wherein respective values for the attributes are assigned, one or more definitions of value properties for said attributes with assigned values, and one or more requirements that limit combination of attribute values that are legal for the model, wherein at least one of said requirements is defined using at least one value property.
US09244818B1 Automated selection of quality control tests to run on a software application
This disclosure describes systems and associated processes that enable an application provider to tailor the testing of an application provided by a developer based on a developer trust level or confidence level. Based, at least in part, on the developer trust level, the application provider can automatically determine tests to run on the application. Advantageously, in certain embodiments, tailoring testing based at least in part on the developer trust level enables the application provider to reduce the amount of resources expended on testing while maintaining customer confidence and satisfaction.
US09244816B2 Application testing using sandboxes
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: determining, by the session establishment node, that a session should be established for the developer; transmitting, to a sandbox server, an instruction to establish a sandbox for the session; transmitting to the sandbox server, an identification of an emulator associated with the session; and notifying the developer when the sandbox is available for use. Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: receiving, by the sandbox server, an instruction to establish a sandbox; establishing the sandbox on the sandbox server; and instantiating a device emulator on the sandbox.
US09244810B2 Debugger graphical user interface system, method, and computer program product
A debugger graphical user interface (GUI) system, method, and computer program product are provided. In use, a list of constructs is displayed a first portion of the GUI of the debugger. Further, waveforms corresponding to the constructs or source code corresponding to the constructs is displayed in a second portion of the GUI of the debugger.
US09244803B2 Failure predictive system, and failure predictive apparatus
Provided is a failure predictive system, including a collection unit that collects information with respect to a job implemented in a monitored apparatus and information with respect to a job to be implemented, a calculating unit that calculates a probability of a failure occurrence in the monitored apparatus based on information with respect to the implemented job and information with respect to the job to be implemented which are collected by the collection unit, and an output unit that outputs information based on the probability when the probability calculated by the calculating unit is over a threshold value.
US09244802B2 Resource user interface
This document describes techniques for presenting a resource user interface. These techniques present, in a summary section of a user interface, multiple selectable resource tiles that each include real-time and/or static information corresponding to one of multiple resources of a computing device. Each of the multiple selectable resource tiles are presented simultaneously, which enables a user to compare live, real-time resource usage for different resources of the computing device. Further, these techniques present, in a detailed view section of the user interface, additional real-time resource information and/or a real-time resource graph corresponding to a selected one of the multiple resources.
US09244801B2 Increasing the accuracy of service quality management metrics
According to embodiments of the present invention, one or more computer processors determine a source for a performance indicator of a target service element is known. The one or more computer processors select, at run time, a source for the performance indicator that has a least amount of information gaps. The one or more computer processors determine information associated with the performance indicator from the source. The one or more computer processors determine whether the determined information associated with the performance indicator is more current than a quality indicator periodicity value that is associated with the target service element. In response to determining that the determined information associated with the performance indicator is more current than a quality indicator periodicity value that is associated with the target service element, the one or more computer processors selecting the performance indicator.
US09244796B2 Diagnostic heartbeat throttling
A method, system, and computer program product for a diagnostic heartbeat throttling are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A component, executing using a processor and a memory in a data processing system, sends diagnostic heartbeat packets over a communication link at a first rate, wherein a diagnostic heartbeat packet is a packet comprises a header, a set of heartbeat parameters, and a set of diagnostic attributes. The component detects a change in data traffic over the communication link. The component changes a rate of sending diagnostic heartbeat packets from the first rate to a second rate responsive to the change in the data traffic over the communication link.
US09244787B2 Maximizing use of storage in a data replication environment
Mechanisms for controlling access to storage volumes on the secondary storage system is provided. A determination is made as to whether a first site computing device has sent a notification of a failure condition of a first site. In response to a determination that the notification of the failure condition of the first site has not been received, secondary workloads of a second site computing device are permitted to access storage volumes on the secondary storage system. In response to a determination that the notification of the failure condition of the first site has been received, a mode of operation of the second site is modified from a normal mode of operation to a failure mode of operation. In the failure mode of operation, the storage system controller of the second site blocks at least a portion of access requests from secondary workloads of the second site computing device.
US09244778B2 Managing physical resources of a storage system
A method for managing physical resources of a storage system, the method may include transmitting, to a remote site, first information representative of a first snapshot of a logical entity; wherein the first snapshot is associated with first data that is stored in first physical addresses of the storage system; wherein the first physical addresses are mapped to first logical addresses; receiving from the remote site a first acknowledgment indicating that the first information was fully received by the remote site; and disassociating, in response to a reception of the first acknowledgement, the first snapshot from the first physical addresses while maintaining a logical association between the first snapshot and the first logical addresses.
US09244776B2 Reducing reading of database logs by persisting long-running transaction data
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system reduces re-reading of database logs by persisting long running transaction data. The system processes the database log records of the database transaction log; generates a snapshot of the database log records at periodic intervals, wherein each snapshot includes database log records for pending transactions; and in response to an interruption in processing of the database log records, utilizes a snapshot to restore database log records for the pending transactions and resume processing of the database transaction log from a position succeeding the database log records of the selected snapshot.
US09244769B2 Offset protection data in a RAID array
A system and method for offset protection data in a RAID array. A computer system comprises client computers and data storage arrays coupled to one another via a network. A data storage array utilizes solid-state drives and Flash memory cells for data storage. A storage controller within a data storage array is configured to store user data in a first page of a first storage device of the plurality of storage devices; generate intra-device protection data corresponding to the user data, and store the intra-device protection data at a first offset within the first page. The controller is further configured to generate inter-device protection data corresponding to the first page, and store the inter-device protection data at a second offset within a second page in a second storage device of the plurality of storage devices, wherein the first offset is different from the second offset.
US09244765B2 Parallelization of error analysis circuitry for reduced power consumption
A memory device (e.g., a flash memory device) includes power efficient codeword error analysis circuitry. The circuitry analyzes codewords stored in the memory of the memory device to locate and correct errors in the codewords before the codewords are communicated to a host device that requests the codewords from the memory device. The circuitry includes a highly parallel configuration with reduced complexity (e.g., reduced gate count) that a controller may cause to perform the error analysis under most circumstances. The circuitry also includes an analysis section of greater complexity with a less parallel configuration that the controller may cause to perform the error analysis less frequently. Because the more complex analysis section runs less frequently, the error analysis circuitry may provide significant power consumption savings in comparison to prior designs for error analysis circuitry.
US09244762B1 Method and apparatus for flexible buffers in an XOR engine
A method and apparatus uses a flexible buffering scheme in an XOR engine to generate checksums, allowing a user to recover data when a disk drive partly or completely fails. An XOR engine may include three or more arithmetic units and three or more local result buffers, which may be used to generate a combination of any of a “P” checksum, a “Q” checksum, and an unmodified copy of the user data, in a single read. The local result buffers and arithmetic units allow the use of multiple Galois field Multiply coefficients so that multiple distinct “Q” checksums may be generated with only one read of the user data.
US09244760B2 Decoding apparatus and decoding method
A control device inputs reliability information on the same data block a plurality of times into a reliability storage memory. A reliability generating device generates a reliability information by performing computation processing based on a stochastic computation by using reliability information generated in the previous cycle that has been saved in the reliability storage memory and reliability information generated in the present cycle, and saves the reliability information generated in the reliability storage memory when the decoding is performed by using reliability information on the data block the same as that in the previous cycle. A column processing computation device computes a column processing output value by using the reliability information generated and saved in the reliability storage memory and a row processing output value.
US09244759B2 Error recovery to enable error-free message transfer between nodes of a computer network
An error-recovery method to enable error-free message transfer between nodes of a computer network. A first node of the network sends a packet to a second node of the network over a link between the nodes, and the first node keeps a copy of the packet on a sending end of the link until the first node receives acknowledgment from the second node that the packet was received without error. The second node tests the packet to determine if the packet is error free. If the packet is not error free, the second node sets a flag to mark the packet as corrupt. The second node returns acknowledgement to the first node specifying whether the packet was received with or without error. When the packet is received with error, the link is returned to a known state and the packet is sent again to the second node.
US09244758B2 Systems and methods for repairing system files with remotely determined repair strategy
Systems and methods are provided for repairing system files. For example, a list of system files including file information of one or more first repairable system files are updated in real time; file information of a target file sent from a terminal is received; whether the target file is in need of repair is detected based on at least information associated with the list of system files; in response to the target file being in need of repair, a first repair strategy for the target file is determined based on at least information associated with a predetermined database of repair strategies and a file type of the target file; and the target file is repaired based on at least information associated with the first repair strategy.
US09244756B1 Logic-built-in-self-test diagnostic method for root cause identification
A method of performing root cause identification for a failure on an integrated circuit with a logic built-in self-test (LBIST) system and an LBIST system to perform root cause identification are described. The method includes completing one or more cycles of test with the LBIST system, each of the one or more cycles implementing one or more macros associated with each of one or more channel scan paths. The method also includes identifying, using a processor, a failing cycle among the one or more cycles of test, identifying a failing channel scan path among the one or more channel scan paths associated with the failing cycle, and identifying the one or more macros associated with the failing channel scan path. The method further includes iteratively checking each of the one or more macros associated with the failing channel scan path to perform the root cause identification.
US09244754B2 Error code conversion method and system, PPPoE server and mobile terminal
Disclosed are an error code conversion method and system, a Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) server and a mobile terminal, and the method includes: a PPPoE server parses a PPPoE error code generated during a dialup process, converts the PPPoE error code to an extended error code according to a PPPoE error code conversion rule table preconfigured on the PPPoE server and transmits the extended error code to a mobile terminal; the mobile terminal receives the extended error code, interprets the extended error code into a plain text according to a PPPoE error code conversion rule table configured on the mobile terminal in advance and displays the plain text to a user. The present disclosure improves capability of a PPPoE server and a terminal for processing errors, thus making it convenient for the mobile terminal and an operator to control a PPPoE dialup process and for a user to surf the Internet through WiFi by rapidly using PPPoE dialup functionality.
US09244752B2 Systems and methods for detecting media flaws
An apparatus for detecting media flaws includes a branch metric selection circuit operable to select a first branch metric and a second branch metric, a subtraction circuit operable to subtract the second branch metric from the first branch metric to yield a difference, and a comparator operable to compare the difference with a threshold value and to indicate a presence of a potential flaw in a storage medium when the difference is less than the threshold value.
US09244751B2 Estimating a performance parameter of a job having map and reduce tasks after a failure
A job profile includes characteristics of a job to be executed, where the characteristics of the job profile relate to map tasks and reduce tasks of the job, and where the map tasks produce intermediate results based on input data, and the reduce tasks produce an output based on the intermediate results. In response to a failure in a system, numbers of failed map tasks and reduce tasks of the job based on a time of the failure are computed, and numbers of remaining map tasks and reduce tasks are computed. A performance model is provided, and a performance parameter of the job is estimated using the performance model.
US09244749B2 End-to-end application tracking framework
Novel tools and techniques for tracing application execution and performance. Some of the tools provide a framework for monitoring the execution and/or performance of applications in an execution chain. In some cases, the framework can accomplish this monitoring with a few simple calls to an application programming interface on an application server. In other cases, the framework can provide for the passing of traceability data in protocol-specific headers of existing inter-application (and/or intra-application) communication protocols.
US09244747B2 System and method for providing dynamic clock and voltage scaling (DCVS) aware interprocessor communication
Systems and methods that allow for Dynamic Clock and Voltage Scaling (DCVS) aware interprocessor communications among processors such as those used in or with a portable computing device (“PCD”) are presented. During operation of the PCD at least one data packet is received at a first processing component. Additionally, the first processing component also receives workload information about a second processing component operating under dynamic clock and voltage scaling (DCVS). A determination is made, based at least in part on the received workload information, whether to send the at least one data packet from the first processing component to the second processing component or to a buffer, providing a cost effective ability to reduce power consumption and improved battery life in PCDs with multi-cores or multi-CPUs implementing DCVS algorithms or logic.
US09244741B2 System and method for service mobility
When service requirements require moving of services registered with an object request broker (ORB) at a source server, continuity of service to service requests from clients may be provided by queuing the service requests at the source server. A server context with the same GUID as a source server context may be established at a destination server. URLs for the moved services may be registered with a destination ORB which may then begin receiving service requests. The source server may then respond to the queued service requests with respective URLs for the services registered at the destination ORB. Endpoints at the clients may be updated with the new URLs prior to resending the service requests. The movement of the ORB to the destination server may thus be transparent to the client application.
US09244739B2 Applications processing in a network apparatus
A method and system for distributing flows between a multiple processors. The flows can be received from an external source such as a network, by a front-end processor that recognizes the flow and the associated request, and identifies at least one internal applications processor to process the request/flow. The front-end processor utilizes a flow scheduling vector related to the identified applications processor(s), and the flow scheduling vector can be based on intrinsic data from the applications processor(s) that can include CPU utilization, memory utilization, packet loss, and queue length or buffer occupation. In some embodiments, applications processors can be understood to belong to a group, wherein applications processors within a group can be configured identically. A flow schedule vector can be computed for the different applications processor groups.
US09244738B2 Conditional serialization to improve work effort
In some embodiments of this disclosure, a computer-implemented method includes requesting, by a first thread on a computer system, conditional exclusive access to a first resource for updating the first resource to perform a first task. An indication is received that the requested exclusive access to the first resource is currently unavailable. Unconditional shared access to the first resource is requested after receiving the indication that the requested exclusive access is unavailable. The shared access to the first resource is received. The first resource is used, by a computer processor, through the shared access to perform the first task in lieu of the requested exclusive access.
US09244732B2 Compensating threads for microarchitectural resource contentions by prioritizing scheduling and execution
A thread (or other resource consumer) is compensated for contention for system resources in a computer system having at least one processor core, a last level cache (LLC), and a main memory. In one embodiment, at each descheduling event of the thread following an execution interval, an effective CPU time is determined. The execution interval is a period of time during which the thread is being executed on the central processing unit (CPU) between scheduling events. The effective CPU time is a portion of the execution interval that excludes delays caused by contention for microarchitectural resources, such as time spent repopulating lines from the LLC that were evicted by other threads. The thread may be compensated for microarchitectural contention by increasing its scheduling priority based on the effective CPU time.
US09244730B2 Application workflow integration subsystem
A computer-implemented method, system and computer program product for integrating an application engine with processes depicted by a flow-chart created by a Business Process Management (BPM) engine are presented. Execution of a first application, which is generated by a first application engine, is initiated. The first application performs a first subtask that is depicted by a first component of a flow-chart that has been previously generated by the BPM engine. A Workflow Integration Subsystem (WIS), which provides an interface between the first application engine and the BPM engine, selects the flow-chart that contains the first subtask performed by the first application. The BPM engine calls other application engines to perform other subtasks that supplement the first subtask, such that the first subtask and the other subtasks combine to perform an entire task that is depicted by the flow-chart.
US09244724B2 Management of transactional memory access requests by a cache memory
In a data processing system having a processor core and a shared memory system including a cache memory that supports the processor core, a transactional memory access request is issued by the processor core in response to execution of a memory access instruction in a memory transaction undergoing execution by the processor core. In response to receiving the transactional memory access request, dispatch logic of the cache memory evaluates the transactional memory access request for dispatch, where the evaluation includes determining whether the memory transaction has a failing transaction state. In response to determining the memory transaction has a failing transaction state, the dispatch logic refrains from dispatching the memory access request for service by the cache memory and refrains from updating at least replacement order information of the cache memory in response to the transactional memory access request.
US09244722B2 Transactional updating in dynamic distributed workloads
A workload manager is operable with a distributed transaction processor having a plurality of processing regions and comprises: a transaction initiator region for initiating a transaction; a transaction router component for routing an initiated transaction to one of the plurality of processing regions; an affinity controller component for restricting transaction routing operations to maintain affinities; the affinity controller component characterised in comprising a unit of work affinity component operable with a resource manager at the one of the plurality of processing regions to activate an affinity responsive to completion of a recoverable data operation at the one of the plurality of processing regions.
US09244717B2 Method and system for visualizing linked clone trees
A virtual computer system, including a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) running on one or more host computers, is configured to manage virtual disks in a manner to facilitate making copies of one or more virtual machines (VMs) by means of a method known as linked cloning. Techniques are disclosed for scanning a storage system to determine the set of VMs, identifying virtual disks associated with each VM, examining parent/child relationships among the virtual disks, and displaying the virtual disk hierarchy. Redundant virtual disks may be identified as the set of virtual disks that have exactly one child disk and that are not associated with a snapshot. Provisions for generating a relocate list to support migration of a linked clone may also be utilized.
US09244716B2 Generation of open virtualization framework package for solution installations and upgrades
Methods, devices, and systems for creating a virtual machine are provided. In particular, a mechanism is provided which allows the automated creation of a virtual machine based on attributes of an existing physical machine. This allows for an efficient and user-friendly way of transitioning a physical machine or set of machines to a virtual machine architecture.
US09244713B1 Method and system for sorting and bucketizing alerts in a virtualization environment
An architecture for sorts and bucketizes alerts in a virtualization environment. A plurality of alerts associated with virtual machines in the virtualization environment is received. A plurality of attributes is identified for the virtual machines, and a plurality of buckets defined for each attribute, into which the received alerts are assigned. The buckets for each attribute are then sorted. The attributes may also be sorted based upon the distribution of alerts in the buckets of the attribute, allowing a system administrator or other personnel to more easily determine which attributes of the virtual machines are correlated with the received alerts, in order to identify potential causes and solutions for the alerts in the virtualization environment.
US09244712B2 Virtualizing performance counters
Embodiments of apparatuses, methods, and systems for virtualizing performance counters are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a counter, a counter enable storage location, counter enable logic, and virtual machine control logic. The counter enable storage location is to store a counter enable indicator. The counter enable logic is to enable the counter based on the counter enable indicator. The virtual machine control logic is to transfer control of the apparatus to a guest. The virtual machine control logic includes guest state load logic to cause a guest value from a virtual machine control structure to be loaded into the counter enable storage location in connection with a transfer of control of the apparatus to the guest.
US09244711B1 Virtual machine capacity planning
Virtual machine capacity planning techniques are disclosed. In various embodiments, a set of time series data is constructed based at least in part on virtual machine related metric values observed with respect to a virtual machine during a training period. The constructed time series data is used to build a forecast model for the virtual machine. The forecast model is used to forecast future values for one or more of the virtual machine related metrics. The forecasted future values are used to determine whether an alert condition is predicted to be met.
US09244708B2 Enhanced java array
A method for creating an enhanced array is provided. An enhanced compiler generates an instrumented class file for an enhanced array class. The enhanced array class comprises at least one element class. The enhanced runtime loads the instrumented class file of the enhanced array class. The enhanced runtime loads a class file corresponding to the element class of the enhanced array class, and builds an internal data structure corresponding to the enhanced array class. An amount of memory storage is calculated for storing the enhanced array instance, and the amount of memory storage is allocated.
US09244707B2 Transforming user interface actions to script commands
Embodiments are directed to dynamically transforming user interface actions into executable script commands and to storing groups of executable script commands related to specific tasks. In an embodiment, a computer system tracks user interface actions at a software program user interface. The computer system transforms the user interface actions into an executable script command. The script command is configured to perform the tracked user interface action when executed. The computer system also dynamically displays the resulting executable script commands in a script command window as the user interface actions are entered by the computer user. The computer system may further determine that multiple user interface actions correspond to a specified task and store the resulting executable script commands related to the specified task as a combined group of executable script commands.
US09244704B2 System and method for transforming legacy desktop environments to a virtualized desktop model
A system and method for transforming a legacy device into a virtualized environment, comprising includes analyzing the profiling data for at least one application to determine usage frequency and resource requirements of the at least one application. Captured user events are benchmarked to simulate a user workload for the at least one application to determine how resource utilization and execution times scale from a legacy environment to a virtualized environment. The legacy device is transformed into the virtualized environment in accordance with a provisioning plan.
US09244702B1 Installer-free applications using native code modules and persistent local storage
Some embodiments provide a system that executes an application. During operation, the system obtains a resource list associated with the application and stores a set of resources including a native code module from the resource list through communications over a network connection, wherein the resources are stored in persistent local storage. The application then loads the application in the web browser and loads the native code module into a secure runtime environment. Next, the application executes the application independently of the network connection using the native code module and the stored resources.
US09244701B2 Method for system scenario based design of dynamic embedded systems
Methods are disclosed for system scenario-based design for an embedded platform whereon a dynamic application is implemented. The application meets at least one guaranteed constraint. Temporal correlations are assumed in the behavior of internal data variables used in the application, with the internal data variables representing parameters used for executing a portion of the application. An example method includes determining a distribution over time of an N-dimensional cost function, with N an integer number N≧1, corresponding to the implementation on the platform for a set of combinations of the internal data variables. The method also includes partitioning an N-dimensional cost space in at least two bounded regions, each bounded region containing cost combinations corresponding to combinations of values of the internal data variables of the set that have similar cost and frequency of occurrence, whereby one bounded region is provided for rarely occurring cost combinations.
US09244700B2 Methods and systems for delivering applications from a desktop operating system
The present invention is directed towards methods and systems for delivering applications from a desktop operating system. A delivery module may receive a request from a client device of a user for access to an application, and identify that a desktop session can host the requested application. An agent may extract presentation layer elements of the requested application from presentation layer elements of other components of the desktop session, and provide, via a presentation layer protocol, the isolated presentation layer elements in a first application session to the client device for display. The delivery module may receive a second request from the user for the application, identify that the application is hosted by the desktop session and delivered in the first application session, and provide a second application session of the application from the desktop session to the user responsive to the determination.
US09244698B2 Download bar user interface control
Various embodiments provide a download bar user interface control that is designed to help users maintain focus on their browsing activities, while offering notifications regarding a file download. In at least some embodiments, the download bar user interface control is non-modal and is presented at a location within the browsing field-of-view that is selected to reduce user distraction. Various embodiments also provide a download manager user interface that enables multiple download-related tasks to be performed. In at least some embodiments, the download manager user interface is presented responsive to input to the download bar user interface control. Further to some embodiments, the download bar user interface control can be closed responsive to the download manager user interface being presented and download-related notifications and options transferred from the download bar user interface control to the download manager user interface.
US09244697B2 Stable anchors in user interface to support life cycle extensions
According to some embodiments, a business service provider may define a stable user interface anchor entity associated with a business object data structure. A reference field may be associated with the stable user interface anchor, the reference field representing a path to a persistent node of the business object data structure. An end user adaptation to a user interface may then be applied in connection with the business object data structure, the adaptation referencing the stable user interface anchor entity.
US09244695B2 Obtaining device drivers from an out-of-band management network
A method includes a service processor of an information handling system downloading code, including device drivers, and transferring the code to an operating system of the information handling system without rebooting the operating system. In some embodiments, a daemon of the operating system may request device drivers for newly-inserted devices and the service processor may make the device drivers available to the operating system in response to the requests. In some embodiments, the service processor may download updated device drivers and may inform the daemon. The updated device drivers may be automatically provided to the operating system or made available upon a request of a user. The service processor may make code available to the operating system by exposing a portion of its non-volatile memory to the operating system as a virtual device.
US09244693B2 System and method for booting multiple servers from snapshots of an operating system installation image while reducing access to unmodified portions of the installation image and reducing latencies between server ports
The disclosure is directed to a system and method for booting a plurality of servers from at least one of a primary storage drive and a secondary storage drive. An operating system installation image is stored in a primary storage drive. Snapshots including modifications to the operating system installation image are stored in a plurality of partitions of a secondary storage device. A lookup table directs servers to read unmodified portions of the operating system installation image from the primary storage drive. The lookup table further directs servers to read modified portions of the operating system installation image from the secondary storage drive.
US09244690B2 Variable frequency output to one or more buffers
A system and method are presented by which data on a graphics processing unit (GPU) can be output to one or more buffers with independent output frequencies. In one embodiment, a GPU includes a shader processor configured to respectively emit a plurality of data sets into a plurality of streams in parallel. Each data is emitted into at least a portion of its respective stream. Also included is a first number of counters configured to respectively track the emitted data sets.
US09244689B2 Energy-focused compiler-assisted branch prediction
A processing system to reduce energy consumption and improve performance in a processor, controlled by compiler inserted information ahead of a selected branch instruction, to statically expose and control how the prediction should be completed and which mechanism should be used to achieve energy and performance efficiency.
US09244688B2 Branch target buffer preload table
Embodiments relate to using a branch target buffer preload table. An aspect includes receiving a search request to locate branch prediction information associated with a branch instruction. Searching is performed for an entry corresponding to the search request in a branch target buffer and a branch target buffer preload table in parallel. Based on locating a matching entry in the branch target buffer preload table corresponding to the search request and failing to locate the matching entry in the branch target buffer, a victim entry is selected to overwrite in the branch target buffer. Branch prediction information of the matching entry is received from the branch target buffer preload table at the branch target buffer. The victim entry in the branch target buffer is overwritten with the branch prediction information of the matching entry.
US09244687B2 Packed data operation mask comparison processors, methods, systems, and instructions
Receive packed data operation mask comparison instruction indicating first packed data operation mask having first packed data operation mask bits and second packed data operation mask having second packed data operation mask bits. Each packed data operation mask bit of first mask corresponds to a packed data operation mask bit of second mask in corresponding position. Modify first flag to first value if bitwise AND of each packed data operation mask bit of first mask with each corresponding packed data operation mask bit of second mask is zero. Otherwise modify first flag to second value. Modify second flag to third value if bitwise AND of each packed data operation mask bit of first mask with bitwise NOT of each corresponding packed data operation mask bit of second mask is zero. Otherwise modify second flag to fourth value.
US09244686B2 Microprocessor that translates conditional load/store instructions into variable number of microinstructions
An instruction translator receives a conditional load/store instruction that specifies a condition, destination/data register, base register, offset source, and memory addressing mode. The instruction instructs the microprocessor to load data from a memory location into the destination register (conditional load) or store data to the memory location from the data register (conditional store) only if the condition flags satisfy the condition. The offset source specifies whether the offset is an immediate value or a value in an offset register. The addressing mode specifies whether the base register is updated when the condition flags satisfy the condition. The instruction translator translates the conditional load instruction into a number of microinstructions, which varies as a function of the offset source, addressing mode, and whether the conditional instruction is a conditional load or store instruction. An out-of-order execution pipeline executes the microinstructions to generate results specified by the instruction.
US09244684B2 Limited range vector memory access instructions, processors, methods, and systems
A processor of an aspect includes a plurality of packed data registers. The processor also includes a unit coupled with the packed data registers. The unit is operable, in response to a limited range vector memory access instruction. The instruction is to indicate a source packed memory indices, which is to have a plurality of packed memory indices, which are to be selected from 8-bit memory indices and 16-bit memory indices. The unit is operable to access memory locations, in only a limited range of a memory, in response to the limited range vector memory access instruction. Other processors are disclosed, as are methods, systems, and instructions.
US09244682B2 Idle detection
Idle detection techniques are disclosed. A set of idle conditions that includes one or more conditions not comprising or triggered by an absence of user input is monitored. The device is determined to be idle based at least in part on results of the monitoring. The device may be determined not to be idle even in the absence of recent user input.
US09244681B2 Automated shutdown for a tiered system
Various aspects of the present invention relate to automated shutdown of a tiered system. In one embodiment, at a host, an instruction is received to execute a command that instructs at least one system at a site and in communication with the host via one or more fiber channels to each execute a script, the script being for automatically shutting down components of the at least one system in an order defined by the script. The command is issued to the at least one system at the site via the one or more fiber channels.
US09244679B1 Systems and methods for automatically identifying changes in deliverable files
A computer-implemented method for automatically identifying changes in deliverable files may include (1) identifying, within first and second versions of a program file, at least one post-file-header section that is located after a file header of the program file, (2) locating, within the post-file-header section of the first version of the program file, a first set of characters that correspond to at least one data field that is known to potentially change between builds of the program file even when source code of the program file has not changed, (3) locating, within the post-file-header section of the second version of the program file, a second set of characters that correspond to the data field, and (4) masking both the first and second sets of characters from a comparison between the first and second versions of the file. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09244677B2 Loop vectorization methods and apparatus
Loop vectorization methods and apparatus are disclosed. An example method includes setting a dynamic adjustment value of a vectorization loop; executing the vectorization loop to vectorize a loop by grouping iterations of the loop into one or more vectors; identifying a dependency between iterations of the loop as; and setting the dynamic adjustment value based on the identified dependency.
US09244676B2 Virtual machine based controller and upgrade mechanism
High availability for a network may be achieved, for example, during a hitless upgrade by creating a replica controller virtual machine of an operating controller virtual machine (source controller). The replica controller virtual machine may be on a same or different server as the source controller virtual machine. The replica controller virtual machine may be copied with processes present in the source controller virtual machine and synchronized for runtime state. Upgrades or changes to software applications run in the source controller virtual machine may be provided to the replica controller virtual machine. Once enabled, the replica controller virtual machine may be operated without suspension of the source controller virtual machine.
US09244673B2 System and method for updating application archive files
Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for updating software applications installed on client computing devices, creating a manifest file describing the differences between multiple versions of application archives present in an application distribution system, and coordinating an update process for updating the applications on the client computing devices are disclosed. A scheme of hard-linking to existing files, downloading new files, and erasing unwanted files can be used.
US09244671B2 System and method for deploying preconfigured software
Automated deployment of a software application to be installed via a software installation package onto different user devices for different users. An initial software installation package, is obtained, along with information representing (a) associations between the users and the user devices, (b) user attributes from which access privilege level information for individual users is determinable, and (c) device attributes for each of the plurality of user devices, including network connectivity information. The initial software installation package is custom-configured for individual user devices based on the information representing (a) and (b) to produce a different specially-configured software installation packages. Each one includes installation parameters that establish functionality for the software application based on the access privilege level of the corresponding user. Data transfer channels are custom-configured for individual user devices based on the information representing (a) and (c).
US09244670B2 Driver managing program and information processing
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions to control a information processing device, wherein the operating system outputs process data to a device driver program, in which, when the device driver program is a first-type device driver program interpreting a first-format process data, the first-format process data is output, and when the device driver program is a second-type device driver program interpreting a second-format process data, the first-format process data is converted into the second-format process data to output, the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the information processing device to perform: inquiring of the operating system about the device driver; receiving a inquiry result from the operating system; judging whether the device driver program is the second-type device driver program based on the inquiry result; and performing, when it is judged that it is the second-type device driver program, a process for installing the first-type device driver program.
US09244667B2 Mechanism for transforming between type-independent and type-specific code
A system obtains first code that includes one or more lines of code, the lines of code including first information associated with one or more data types or one or more routine types. The system removes the first information from the lines of code; and generates one or more instructions that, when executed, enable the system to obtain the first information or second information. The second information is associated with at least one data type that is different than the one or more data types or at least one routine type that is different than the one or more routine types. The system modifies the lines of code based on the one or more instructions; generates second code based on the first code and the modified lines of code; and outputs the second code.
US09244665B1 Optimized execution of dynamic languages
In one aspect, a method for optimizing execution of dynamic language code is provided, the method includes identifying a first dynamic language function call during runtime, the function call including argument values for one or more arguments of the function, calculating a type signature for the one or more argument values of the function, determining if a function associated with the type signature is stored in a cache, looking up the function in the cache when the function associated with the type signature is stored in the cache and dynamically calling the function associated with the type signature when the specialized function for the type signature is not stored in the cache.
US09244660B2 Responsive self-service website template
The technology disclosed relates to a self-service customization protocol for a single page website that implements a support component add-in to the CRM website. The self-service customization protocol includes a plurality of page elements that can be easily edited by the customers without any coding.
US09244659B2 Extensible meta model for capturing solution patterns
A method for capturing patterns and associated points of variability includes providing an XML schema defining elements representing different point of variability (POV) types for a pattern. The elements belong to an XML schema “substitution group” to enable the POV types to be substituted for one another. In selected embodiments, the method enables a pattern author to add new or custom POV types to the “substitution group,” thereby allowing the pattern author to extend the pattern meta model to include new POV types. Once the desired POV types are defined, the method enables the pattern author to generate an instance of the XML schema, defining the points of variability for a specific pattern, using the elements defined in the XML schema “substitution group.” A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed and claimed herein.
US09244656B2 Integrated development environment for heterogeneous client/server environments
The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products providing an integrated development environment for client/server environments. One computer-implemented method includes reading a derived business application data model (BADM) associated with a business application into an integrated development environment (IDE), defining a client application data model (CADM) for a client application, defining at least one data mapping rule (DMR) to map at least data translations between the BADM and the CADM, developing the client application based upon at least the CADM, developing at least one web service based upon the BADM, CADM, and the at least one DMR, generating the client application and the at least one web service, and deploying the client application, the at least one web service, and the at least one DMR.
US09244650B2 Post-drive summary with tutorial
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to vehicle notifications. In aspects, while a vehicle is in motion, certain types of notifications are not presented to the driver. After the vehicle has stopped and a point appropriate for notification is occurring, a notification may be presented. The notification may assist a driver in, for example, learning features of the vehicle, improving efficiency, or in many other ways.
US09244645B2 Printer that can perform wireless communication well regardless of the environment in which said printer is set up
This printer is a printer having a wireless communication function, and includes an antenna (321f) in a front surface (110f) of a casing (110), which is a surface having a space requiring portion where space is required in a vicinity of the casing (110). The space requiring portion is a sheet delivery slot (120f) and a sheet receiving portion cover (130f) for replacing sheets.
US09244644B2 Methods for operating a circuit board and an apparatus each having corresponding systems on chips for wireless communication and printing
A method for operating a circuit board, where: the circuit board is mounted within a printer; a first system on a first chip and a second system on a second chip are mounted on the circuit board; the first system on the first chip comprises a receiver and a transmitter; and the second system on the second chip comprises a first processing module and a second processing module. The method includes wirelessly receiving a first radio frequency signal at the receiver. A second radio frequency signal is generated based on the first radio frequency signal. The second radio frequency signal is wirelessly transmitted from the transmitter. The transmitter is implemented in the first system on the first chip. A data signal is generated based on the first radio frequency signal via the first processing module. A printing process is implemented based on the data signal via the second processing module.
US09244643B2 Printing apparatus and method for controlling the same
There is provided a printing apparatus that can prevent a user from forgetting to set print settings and that can markedly reduce the number of unnecessary prints caused by unsuitable print settings, for example, in a case in which print data such as image data is sent from an image-supplying apparatus to the printing apparatus and in which the printing apparatus prints the print data. The printing apparatus, which receives print data from an image-supplying apparatus and prints the print data, need not start printing image data immediately after the image data is received. An input of print settings is accepted in the printing apparatus, and the image data is printed using the printing settings that have been input.
US09244639B2 Secure, server-less print release
A print release environment includes a client computing device, an imaging device and an active directory. The client stores an imaging job on a local hard disk. The client registers itself with the active directory indicating an existence of the job. Upon a user logging in to the imaging device to retrieve an imaged media corresponding to the imaging job, the imaging device queries the active directory for possible clients. The imaging device contacts client(s) and retrieves a list of jobs available to the user. The user selects their job and the client releases it direct to the imaging device. The client deletes the imaging job upon successful imaging of the media and undoes its registration with the active directory, unless further imaging jobs exist for the user. Encryption techniques are contemplated to secure the data of the imaging job end-to-end from the client to the imaging device.
US09244637B2 Server apparatus, communication apparatus, and computer-readable medium storing programs therefor
A sever apparatus is configured to transmit designated image information including designated preview image data having a generally used format and is used to previewing designated image based on the designated proprietary data and designated accompanying information having a generally used format and is accompanying information of the designated image to the communication apparatus that output the designated proprietary data through the network interface. When the network interface obtains the modification information output by the communication apparatus after the designated image information is transmitted, and represents modifications to the designated image, the server apparatus retrieves the designated proprietary data from the storage device, and obtains modified designated image information reflecting the modification information based on the retrieved designated proprietary data and obtained modification information with use of the deciphering program, and transmits the modified designated image information to the communication apparatus that output the modification information through the network interface.
US09244633B2 Image forming apparatus and method of controlling wireless network connection in the apparatus
An image forming apparatus in which connection of an external device and a wireless network is controlled, the image forming apparatus including: a wireless network interface unit to connect the image forming apparatus to a first wireless network or a second wireless network; a user interface unit in which setting a connection configuration to connect the image forming apparatus to the second wireless network according to a request to connect to the second wireless network is performed while the image forming apparatus is connected to the first wireless network; a determining unit to determine whether connection of the second wireless network is terminated after connection of the first wireless network is terminated and the image forming apparatus is connected to the second wireless network according to the set connection configuration; and a controller, as a result of the determining, if connection of the second wireless network is terminated, to control so that the image forming apparatus is connected to a different wireless network from the second wireless network according to the set connection configuration.
US09244630B2 Identifying and accessing reference data in an in-memory data grid
Embodiments relate to providing normalization techniques for reference data in an in-memory data grid. An aspect includes monitoring object creation and access in an in-memory data grid and identifying reference data in an object field of a plurality of object instances. A reference map for the object field is created and the reference map is replicated across all partitions of the in-memory data grid. The reference data of an embodiment is stored in the reference map and the object field is updated to identify the reference map. Accordingly, the reference data may be accessed using the created reference map.
US09244629B2 Method and system for asymmetrical processing with managed data affinity
Methods, systems and computer readable storage mediums for more efficient and flexible scheduling of tasks on an asymmetric processing system having at least one host processor and one or more slave processors, are disclosed. An example embodiment includes, determining a data access requirement of a task, comparing the data access requirement to respective local memories of the one or more slave processors selecting a slave processor from the one or more slave processors based upon the comparing, and running the task on the selected slave processor.
US09244628B2 Reducing elapsed time to access data from a storage medium during a recall operation
In one embodiment, a tape drive includes a drive buffer, a processor, and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being configured to cause the processor to: receive a list including: user data segments recorded on tape media, wherein the user data segments are arranged in the list according to a predetermined order, and information associated with each user data segment, wherein the information includes a description of a physical location of each of the user data segments on the tape media. The logic is further configured to cause the processor to locate each of the user data segments on the tape media according to the order in the list, read each of the user data segments from the tape media according to the order in the list, and write each of the user data segments to a buffer according to the order in the list.
US09244627B2 Secure data erasure system for erasing a plurality of data storage devices
An erasure system and method for sorting, tracking, and erasing a plurality of data storage devices using enterprise hardware and software designed for data storage. The erasure system may include a server, drive arrays having receptacles for communicably coupling with the data storage devices, and a drive array controller configured for communicably coupling the server with the drive arrays. The server may receive specification information regarding each of the drive arrays and each of the data storage devices in the receptacles of the drive arrays for erasure and logging purposes. Then the server may overwrite each of the data storage devices according to the DoD 5220.22-M standard, thereby erasing the data storage devices. The server may also create log files corresponding to each of the data storage devices, including information like time, date, and if the erasure of the data storage device is complete or has failed.
US09244624B2 File load times with dynamic storage usage
Provided is a technique for improving file load times with dynamic storage usage. A file made up of data blocks is received. A list of storage devices is retrieved. In one or more iterations, the data blocks of the file are written by: updating the list of storage devices by removing any storage devices with insufficient space to store additional data blocks; generating a performance score for each of the storage devices in the updated list of storage devices; determining a portion of the data blocks to be written to each of the storage devices based on the generated performance score for each of the storage devices; writing, in parallel, the determined portion of the data blocks to each of the storage devices; and recording placement information indicating the storage devices to which each determined portion of the data blocks was written.
US09244623B1 Parallel de-duplication of data chunks of a shared data object using a log-structured file system
Parallel de-duplication of data chunks being written to a shared object is provided. A client executing on a compute node or a burst buffer node in a parallel computing system stores a data chunk to a shared data object on a storage node by processing the data chunk to obtain a de-duplication fingerprint; comparing the de-duplication fingerprint to de-duplication fingerprints of other data chunks; and providing original data chunks to the storage node that stores the shared object. A reference to an original data chunk can be stored when the de-duplication fingerprint matches another data chunk. The client and storage node may employ Log-Structured File techniques. A storage node stores a data chunk in the shared object by receiving only an original version of the data chunk from a compute node; and storing the original version of the data chunk to the shared data object on the storage node as a shared object.
US09244622B2 Storage system having a plurality of flash packages
A storage system 100, which has a plurality of flash packages 230, has a function for minimizing the imbalance of the number of deletions of each block inside the flash package 230 and a block-unit capacity virtualization function, and efficiently manifests lessening of the imbalance of the number of deletions and reduction in the data storage capacity for the entire storage system 100 by having functions for calculating the number of deletions and the data occupancy of each flash package 230, and for transferring data between the flash packages 230 on the basis of the values of these number of deletions and data occupancy.
US09244621B2 Global data establishment for storage arrays controlled by a plurality of nodes
A plurality of data arrays are coupled to a plurality of nodes via a plurality of adapters. The plurality of adapters discover the plurality of data arrays during startup, and information about the plurality of data arrays are communicated to corresponding local nodes of the plurality of nodes, wherein the local nodes broadcast the information to other nodes of plurality of nodes. A director node of the plurality of nodes determines which data arrays of the plurality of data arrays are a current set of global metadata arrays, based on the broadcasted information.
US09244619B2 Method of managing data storage device and data storage device
A method of managing a data storage device including a memory controller and a memory device includes: calculating a first sequential and consecutive write cost (SCWC) according to a garbage collection (GC) write operation policy, a second SCWC according to a slack space recycling (SSR) write operation policy and a third SCWC according to an in-place updating (IPU) write operation policy respectively, in response to a write request in the memory controller; determining a write operation policy which has a minimum cost of the first through third SCWCs; and writing data in a selected segment in the memory device according to the determined write operation policy.
US09244617B2 Scheduling requests in a solid state memory device
An apparatus and method for a memory controller for managing scheduling requests in a solid state memory device. The memory includes a set of units wherein a unit within the set of units is erasable as a whole by a unit reclaiming process resulting in a free unit available for writing data to. The memory controller further includes a first queue for queuing user requests for reading and/or writing data from/to the memory, and a second queue for queuing unit reclaiming requests for executing the unit reclaiming process. A scheduler is provided for selecting user requests from the first queue and unit reclaiming requests from the second queue for execution according to a defined ratio. The defined ratio is a variable ratio, is dependent on the current number of free units, and permits the memory controller to select requests from both the first queue and the second queue.
US09244616B2 Management system and management method of storage system that performs control based on required performance assigned to virtual volume
A storage system manages a pool to which multiple VVOLs (virtual logical volumes conforming to thin provisioning) are associated, assigns a real area (RA) from any tier in an available tier pattern associated with a write-destination VVOL to a write-destination virtual area (VA), and carries out a reassignment process for migrating data inside this RA to an RA of a different tier than the tier having this RA based on the access status of the RA assigned to the VA. A management system assumes that a specified tier has been removed from the available tier pattern of a target VVOL, predicts the performance of the target VVOL and all the other VVOL associated with the pool to which the target VVOL is associated, determines whether or not there is a VVOL for which the predicted performance is lower than a required performance, and when such a VVOL does not exist, instructs the storage system to remove the specified tier from the available tier pattern of the target VVOL.
US09244613B2 Volume extent allocation
A method of and system for processing an extend request for a data set in a storage facility is disclosed. The method and system may include receiving the extend request. The extend request may include a new extent allocation amount for the data set. The data set may be associated with a number of volumes in the storage facility. The method and system may include apportioning the new extent allocation amount among fractional amounts. The method and system may include allocating the fractional amounts.
US09244612B1 Key selection of a graphical keyboard based on user input posture
In one example, a method includes outputting, by a computing device and for display, a graphical keyboard comprising a plurality of keys, and receiving, by the computing device, an indication of a gesture detected at a presence-sensitive input device. The method further includes determining, by the computing device, an input posture of the gesture at the presence-sensitive input device, and applying, by the computing device and based at least in part on the input posture, at least one offset to a location associated with a key from the plurality of keys to determine an offset location associated with the key, and in response to receiving the indication of the gesture, selecting, by the computing device and based at least in part on the offset location, the key as a selected key.
US09244611B2 Performing actions on a computing device using a contextual keyboard
A system and method for performing actions via a keyboard application of a computing device is described. In some examples, a contextual keyboard facilitates the entry of text and the performance of actions across applications supported by a device. For example, the contextual keyboard may receive a word macro and/or a gesture, and determine that the received word macro and/or gesture is a command to perform one or more actions. Example actions to be performed include searching for information, storing information, posting information, sending information, enhancing information, and so on.
US09244609B2 Touch control method and touch control electronic apparatus
A touch control method and a touch control electronic apparatus are provided. The touch control electronic apparatus comprises an angle database, a function database, a touch panel and a central processing unit (CPU). The touch panel senses a plurality of touch points. The CPU calculates a plurality of touch angles according to the touch points, and stores the touch angles to an angle queue. The CPU accesses a comparative model from the angle database, and compares the angle queue with the comparative model to generate a plurality of comparative results. The CPU sequentially stores the comparative results to a comparative queue. The CPU accesses a result queue from the function database, and determines whether the comparative queue matches the result queue. The CPU performs a function operation corresponding to the result queue if the comparative queue matches the result queue.
US09244608B2 Method and system for gesture identification
A method for gesture identification includes determining a first gesture is performed on a surface sensing region. The first gesture includes at least one input object. The method further includes determining a first action corresponding to the first gesture, and issuing, based on performing the first gesture, a first report reporting the first gesture and the first action. The method further includes determining, within a first predefined length of time subsequent to performing the first gesture, a presence of the at least one input object in an above surface sensing region, determining a second action corresponding to the first gesture and the at least one input object being in the above surface sensing region within the predefined length of time, and issuing a second report reporting the second action.
US09244607B2 System and method for image processing using multi-touch gestures
Various embodiments of a system and methods for processing digital images using multi-touch gestures are described. A multi-touch gestural input set which comprises a plurality of touch gestures may be applied to a display of an image. The gestural input set may include different gesture types, such as mobile and stationary gestures. Each gesture type may indicate a different image processing constraint that may be applied to modify the digital image. Stationary gestures may indicate constrained regions of the image that are not subject to modification. Mobile gestures may indicate regions of the image which may be subject to modification. Characteristics of the mobile gestures, such as velocity and/or pressure, may also indicate an amount by which an image may be modified over the region indicated by the mobile gesture. Image masks, which separate foreground and background regions of an image, may also be specified by the gestural input set.
US09244599B2 Multiple stakeholders for a single business process
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing a customized representation of a business process involving one or more organizational entities that are accessible through a network. A user interface that can display a customized representation of a business process is provided. User information, including user privileges associated with the business process, is stored in a central repository that is accessible through the network. A request to view the business process is received from a first user through the user interface. The user privileges for the first user are retrieved from the central repository. A customized representation of the business process is displayed with the user interface. The customized representation is in compliance with the retrieved user privileges for the first user.
US09244596B2 Methods and systems for page navigation of dynamically laid-out content
A layout can identify placement of a plurality of content units of a document across one or more pages with each page representing a display area for displaying the content of the document. A scrollbar definition can be generated so as to identify a plurality of equally-sized segments of a scrollbar track, with each segment corresponding to a respective one of the pages of the document. The definition can identify a scrollbar thumb having a body that fills a segment. A scrollbar can be rendered based on the definition. The scrollbar definition can be updated to identify a different number of segments of the scrollbar based on a new number of pages in a new layout generated in response to a change in the size of the display area.
US09244595B2 Graphical display for sorting and filtering a list in a space-constrained view
Techniques for sorting and filtering a list in a space-constrained viewing area are described. A filter widget and a list of items are displayed in a view of an electronic display screen. In response to user input selecting the filter widget, and without changing to a different view, a filter category overlay is displayed in the view to provide various selectable filter categories. In response to selection of a filter category, a visual depiction of the selected filter category is displayed in the view. The list of items is filtered according to the selected filter category and displayed in the view without changing to any other view. Subsequently added visual depictions are linearly stacked in the view. Further, a filter modification overlay, which provides selectable filtering attributes, is displayed upon selection of a visual depiction.
US09244579B2 Touch display apparatus and touch mode switching method thereof
A touch display apparatus and a touch mode switching method thereof are provided. A touch mode of a touch panel is switched according to a touch track and a touch area of an input tool.
US09244574B2 Reducing ion-migration and corrosion in electrodes
Embodiments of the present invention generally provide a processing system for an input device including a sensor module having sensor circuitry. The sensor module may be coupled to transmitter electrodes, receiver electrodes, and a shield electrode. The sensor module may be configured for transmitting transmitter signals with the transmitter electrodes, receiving resulting signals with the receiver electrodes, and transitioning the shield electrode from a first voltage to a second voltage during a non-sensing time period. The resulting signals may include effects which correspond to the transmitter signals. The input device may further include a determination module configured for determining positional information for an input object based at least in part on the resulting signals.
US09244573B2 Capacitive touch panel including embedded sensing electrodes
The present invention relates to a capacitive touch panel and a method for manufacturing the same, in which the material having lower resistance than that of ITO is filled in the intaglio formed on the resin layer, which is patterned to form the embedded sensing electrode and the sensing electrodes and the wiring electrodes are formed at the same time by using the same resistance material; in which the capacitive touch panel includes a first sensing layer formed with a plurality of first direction sensing electrodes, which are patterned and a plurality of first wiring electrodes; and a second sensing layer formed with a plurality of second direction sensing electrodes, which are patterned and a plurality of second wiring electrodes; in which the first sensing layer and the second sensing layer are bonded in the mutual vertical direction.
US09244571B2 Touch sensing device
A touch sensing device is provided. A shielding plate is provided for covering and shielding wires that route sensing electrodes to a flexible circuit board. Alternatively, a conductive layer of the circuit board is applied for shielding a plurality of contacts of the electrodes and wires. Wires that couple two same typed electrodes extend as a shielding plate for shielding contacts of another type of electrodes. An auxiliary electrode bordering outside the sensing electrodes can be provided to compensate fringe effects of the sensing electrodes.
US09244570B2 System and method for reducing the effects of parasitic capacitances
In one embodiment, a method includes discharging a first capacitor and discharging a set of capacitances present on a first set of lines of a touch sensor. After discharging the first capacitor and the set of capacitances, the method further includes causing charge to be transferred to the set of capacitances during a first time period. After the first time period, the method includes causing charge to be transferred to the first capacitor and the set of capacitances during a second time period. After the second time period, the voltage across the first capacitor to a first threshold is compared. The method also includes determining whether a touch was detected by the touch sensor based on comparing the voltage across the first capacitor to the first threshold.
US09244569B2 Capacitive sensing analog front end
A capacitive sensing analog front end for a touchscreen system having an improved signal-to-noise ratio includes a capacitance-to-voltage converter having an input for coupling to an external sampling capacitor, a summer having a first input coupled to an output of the capacitance-to-voltage converter, a low pass filter having an input coupled to an output of the summer and an output for providing an output signal; and a sample-and-hold circuit having an input coupled to the output of the low pass filter and an output coupled to a second input of the summer. The signal-to-noise ratio of the touchscreen system is improved by extracting the DC shift of a touch signal during a monitoring period and then subtracting the DC shift before integrating the touch signal.
US09244564B2 Information processing apparatus touch panel display and control method therefor
The present invention provides a technique for making it easy to operate an operator interface displayed on a touch panel display. A tilt detector detects the position of the apparatus. The touch panel display displays an image of the operator interface and senses touch by a touching object, where a predetermined process is performed in response to a touch action on the operator interface. A controller moves a display position of the image of the operator interface on the touch panel display in a direction in which an information processing apparatus tilts, according to changes in the apparatus posture detected by the tilt detector.
US09244560B2 Multiple row receiving line pattern for in-cell touchscreen panels
An in-cell touchscreen panel includes columns of transmit electrodes and rows of sensing electrodes, wherein each row of sensing electrodes comprises a first subset of sensing electrodes coupled to control circuitry via a first subset of receiving traces and a second subset of sensing electrodes coupled to the control circuitry via a second subset of receiving traces. To enable multi-touch functionality, the in-cell touchscreen panel operates in a scanning mode where capacitance is measured at each node where the sensing electrodes intersect the transmit electrodes. During the scanning mode, the control circuitry senses the first and second subsets of receiving traces while applying drive signals to pairs of transmit electrodes. After a drive signal has been applied to each of the transmit electrodes, each of the nodes are measured to detect a capacitance. This capacitance is indicative of a user touch on the in-cell touchscreen panel.
US09244556B2 Display apparatus, display method, and program
A display apparatus (1) according to the present invention has display means (3) that detects contact and proximity of operating means with respect to a display range of the display means, and control means (5) that determines a position where an item designated by contact is to be displayed, based on the position of contact and the position of proximity which are detected by the display means (3).
US09244545B2 Touch and stylus discrimination and rejection for contact sensitive computing devices
A “Contact Discriminator” provides various techniques for differentiating between valid and invalid contacts received from any input methodology by one or more touch-sensitive surfaces of a touch-sensitive computing device. Examples of contacts include single, sequential, concurrent, or simultaneous user finger touches (including gesture type touches), pen or stylus touches or inputs, hover-type inputs, or any combination thereof. The Contact Discriminator then acts on valid contacts (i.e., contacts intended as inputs) while rejecting or ignoring invalid contacts or inputs. Advantageously, the Contact Discriminator is further capable of disabling or ignoring regions of input surfaces, such tablet touch screens, that are expected to receive unintentional contacts, or intentional contacts not intended as inputs, for device or application control purposes. Examples of contacts not intended as inputs include, but are not limited to, a user's palm resting on a touch screen while the user writes on that screen with a stylus or pen.
US09244543B1 Method and device for replacing stylus tip
Systems, methods, and devices for monitoring use of a tip of a stylus, determining an amount of wear of or life remaining in the tip, and notifying a user when to replace the tip are disclosed. The tip should be replaced to avoid an abrasive material of the tip from being exposed and contacting a touch screen or other surface of a computing device to avoid scratching or otherwise damaging the touch screen or other surface of the computing device. The computing device or the stylus device may perform one or more of the monitoring, determining, or prompting steps.
US09244542B2 Stylus device and a method for assembling the stylus device
A stylus device for use with a display of a computing device, the stylus device including: a compressible member with a first end of the compressible member being for mounting to a central stem of the stylus device; and a guide structure configured to be mounted to a body of the stylus device, the guide structure having an engaging portion configured to frictionally engage the compressible member as a second end of the compressible member protrudes from the guide structure.
US09244541B2 Image sensing apparatus and optical navigating apparatus with the image sensing apparatus
An image sensing apparatus comprises at least one sensing pixel and a control circuit. The sensing pixel comprises: a charge storing device; a light sensing device, for respectively generating photoelectrons with a first, second amount in a first, second mode; and a switch device, for determining an amount that the photoelectron can be transmitted to the charge storing device according to a control voltage. The control voltage generates the control voltage to control the amount that the photoelectrons can be transmitted to the charge storing device to be a first charge amount in a first mode and to be a second charge amount in a second mode. The first, second charge amounts are smaller than a maximum charge storing amount for the charge storing device.
US09244533B2 Camera navigation for presentations
Techniques for managing a presentation of information in a gesture-based system, where gestures are derived from a user's body position or motion in the physical space, may enable a user to use gestures to control the manner in which the information is presented or to otherwise interact with the gesture-based system. A user may present information to an audience to an audience using gestures that control aspects of the system, or multiple users may work together using gestures to control aspects of the system. Thus, in an example embodiment, a single user can control the presentation of information to the audience via gestures. In another example embodiment, multiple participants can share control of the presentation via gestures captured by a capture device or otherwise interact with the system to control aspects of the presentation.
US09244532B2 Systems and methods for controlling multiple displays with single controller and haptic enabled user interface
A method includes displaying information via a first display, displaying information via a second display, controlling the information displayed via the first display and the second display with a controller, and receiving a first input from a user through a user interface. The first input includes a command to change a setting of the first display or the second display and/or the information being displayed via the first display or the second display. The method also includes generating a first haptic effect to confirm receipt of the first input.
US09244530B1 Virtual artifacts using mobile devices
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing virtual artifacts using mobile devices. In one aspect, methods include receiving a signal indicating user input to a touchscreen display of a mobile computing device, detecting motion of the mobile computing device, the motion mimicking motion associated with a physical artifact, identifying a function based on the user input and the motion, the function corresponding to a function that can be physically performed using the physical artifact, executing the function on the mobile device, and generating feedback to a user of the mobile device, the feedback indicating execution of the function.
US09244529B2 Point-of-gaze estimation robust to head rotations and/or device rotations
Point-of-gaze of a user looking at a display is estimated, taking into account rotation of the user's head or rotation of the display. An image of an eye of the user is captured. The image is processed to determine coordinates in the image of defined eye features, sufficient to determine the eye's optical axis. At least one angle is determined, the at least one angle proportional to an angle between (i) a line coincident with an edge of the display and (ii) an intersection of the sagittal plane of the user's head with a plane of the display. An intersection of the eye's line-of-sight with the plane of the display is estimated using the eye's optical axis, and using the at least one angle to account for rotation of the user's head or the display.
US09244528B2 Gaze based communications for locked-in hospital patients
Effective patient-centered care in a hospital relies heavily on the ability of patients to communicate their physical needs to care givers. If a patient is unable to speak, he has limited means of communicating at a time when he needs it the most. The embodiments presented here, generally referred to as EyeVoice, include unobtrusive eye-operated communication systems for locked-in hospital patients who cannot speak or gesture. EyeVoice provides an alternate means of communication, allowing hospital patients to communicate with their care givers using their eyes in place of their voices. Simply by looking at images and cells displayed on a computer screen placed in front of them, patients are able to: answer questions posed by caregivers; specify locations, types and degrees of pain and discomfort; request specific forms of assistance; ask or answer care related questions, and help direct his own care.
US09244519B1 Storage system with data transfer rate adjustment for power throttling
A storage control system, and a method of operation thereof, including: a host interface unit for receiving a host command from a host system; a power measurement hardware, coupled to the host interface unit, for reading a current value of electrical power supplied by the host system in response to the host command; and a power monitor controller, coupled to the power measurement hardware, for adjusting a bus speed for controlling data transfer through a channel shared by a number of non-volatile memory devices, the bus speed is adjusted based on the current value of the electrical power.
US09244517B2 Cooling appliance rating aware data placement
A dataset is identified as a heat-intensive dataset based, at least in part, on the dataset being related to heat generation at a source storage device exceeding a heat rise limit. The source storage device hosts the heat-intensive dataset and the heat-intensive dataset comprises non-executable data. A first cooling area of a plurality of cooling areas is selected to accommodate the heat generation based, at least in part, on cooling characteristics of a plurality of cooling appliances of the plurality of cooling areas. The source storage device is associated with a second cooling area. A target storage device associated with the first cooling area is determined. The heat-intensive dataset is moved from the source storage device to the target storage device.
US09244516B2 Media playback system using standby mode in a mesh network
Embodiments described herein involve mechanisms to wake-up a media playback device that is interconnected with other media playback devices to form a networked media system from a standby mode using a network message. In one embodiment, a media playback device receives a first wake-up packet associated with a MAC address; and in response, exits a standby mode and enters an active mode, and broadcasts a second wake-up packet associated with the MAC address. In another embodiment, a media playback device receives a first wake-up packet associated with a MAC address; and in response, determines whether the first MAC address is included in a list of MAC addresses maintained by the first media playback device; and when the first MAC address is included in the list of MAC addresses, exits a standby mode and enters an active mode, and broadcasts a second wake-up packet associated with the MAC address.
US09244515B2 Semiconductor device comprising delay monitor and discrete supply switches
A semiconductor device includes: a plurality of circuit parts; a global power source; a plurality of power source supply circuits; and a plurality of local power source control circuits provided in correspondence to the plurality of circuit parts, wherein each of the plurality of power source supply circuits includes a plurality of discrete supply switches, each of the plurality of local power source control circuits includes: a delay monitor circuit having a delay path whose amount of delay changes in accordance with a change in the voltage value of the local power source, and whose output logical value changes in accordance with the amount of delay of the delay path; and a switch control circuit configured to control the number of the plurality of discrete supply switches based on the output logical value of the delay monitor circuit.
US09244513B2 Reduction of computer resource use in a virtual universe
The invention provides a method, system, and program product for reducing use of one or more computer resources. In one embodiment, the invention includes monitoring a user's interaction with a virtual universe, determining whether the user's interaction with the virtual universe is consistent with the user's attention being diverted from the virtual universe, determining whether a computer resource allocated to the user should be reduced, and in the case that the computer resource should be reduced, reducing the computer resource.
US09244512B2 Power supply device having a standby power cutoff structure
A power supply device having a standby power cutoff structure, comprises: a power supply unit which has a plug connected to a socket, converts an external power for a power supply target device, and generates self-operating power; a connector unit which includes a power supply terminal to supply power to the power supply target device, and opens or blocks a power supply path between the external power and the power supply unit in response to a switching driving signal received from the power supply unit; and a cable for connecting the power supply unit and the connector unit, wherein the power supply unit checks the state of power supplied through a switching unit to output the switching driving signal to the switching unit such that the switching unit cuts off a power supply when the power supply target device is fully charged or the power supply device is turned off.
US09244510B1 Bug report checks in a modeling system
A method may include storing bug reports in a memory, where a particular one of the bug reports describes a software bug and includes information about a modeling application. The method may further include receiving, from another computer device, a request for bug reports relevant to a model generated using the modeling application, where the request includes information about the model; identifying one or more relevant bug reports, in the stored bug reports, by comparing the information about the modeling application, included in the stored bug reports, with the information about the model, included in the received request; and providing information about the one or more relevant bug reports to the other computer device.
US09244504B2 Heat dissipation structure for hand-held mobile device
A heat dissipation structure for hand-held mobile device includes a supporting body having a first and an opposite second side and including at least one heat dissipation area. In the heat dissipation area, a heat dissipation element is correspondingly fitted without increasing an overall thickness and volume of the supporting body for the hand-held mobile device. With the heat dissipation element fitted in the heat dissipation area on the supporting body, heat produced by the hand-held mobile device during operation thereof can be quickly transferred to the heat dissipation element for dissipating into ambient air.
US09244503B2 Storage device
A storage device includes a connector with first to ninth pins, a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) control chip, a universal serial bus (USB) control chip, and a storage chip. Voltage terminals of the SATA control chip, the USB control chip, and the storage chip are connected to the first pin of the connector. Second, third, fifth, and sixth signal terminals of the SATA control chip are connected to the fifth pin, the sixth pins, the eighth pin, and the ninth pin of the connector, respectively. Output terminals of the SATA control chip and the USB control chip are connected to a signal terminal of the storage chip. Second, third, fifth, sixth, eighth, and ninth signal terminals of the USB control chip are connected to the second pin, the third pin, the fifth pin, the sixth pin, the eighth pin, and the ninth pin of the connector, respectively.
US09244501B2 Docking stations for remote control and multimedia devices
A representative base unit for charging a remote controller and a multimedia device includes at least two docking stations for a remote controller and a multimedia device, wherein the at least two docking stations having charging slots that transfer power to the remote controller and the multimedia device for recharging; and a processing device that is electrically coupled to the docking stations for communicating with the remote controller and the multimedia device, wherein the processing device facilitates communication between the remote controller and the multimedia device.
US09244500B2 System integration supporting completely wireless peripheral applications
In accordance with various aspects of the disclosure, a method and apparatus is disclosed that includes features of a host computing device, and a wireless power transmission module and a wireless data transmission module both integrated on a circuit board of the host computing device. The host computing device is configured to transmit power and multi-media data to a peripheral device, upon receipt thereof from the wireless power transmission module and the wireless data transmission module, respectively. The peripheral device is configured to receive wirelessly power and multi-media data from a host computing device, and provide the received power and multi-media data to a wireless power reception module and a wireless data reception module, respectively, for processing, both modules being integrated on a circuit board of the peripheral device.
US09244498B2 Reverse touchpad for portable computers
A portable computer is described including a reverse-mounted touchpad and associated buttons where the touchpad is mounted on the reverse surface of the panel containing the portable computer's display and facing away from the user. One or more associated buttons are mounted on the surface of the display panel facing the user and function as the buttons normally associated with a touchpad, traditionally called the “mouse buttons”. The buttons are mounted in close proximity to the reverse-mounted touchpad such that the user can operate both the touchpad and the buttons simultaneously with a finger and the thumb of the same hand.
US09244497B2 Hinge module and foldable device
A hinge module is disposed between a first body and a second body. A first bracket is fixed on the first body to fix a shaft. A second bracket is fixed on the second body and passed through by the shaft, so that the second bracket can be rotated relative to the first bracket. An electromagnet is installed on the shaft. A magnetic element is installed on the shaft, and capable of being attracted or repelled with the electromagnet. At least one of the electromagnet and the magnetic element is capable of being moved along the shaft axially but substantially incapable of being rotated with the shaft as an axis. When the electromagnet is activated, at least one of the electromagnet and the magnetic element is axially moved to press the second bracket to increase a torque of a rotation of the second bracket relative to the first bracket.
US09244494B2 Electronic retractable blueprint display device for viewing and manipulating full-size and half-size architectural, engineering, and construction plans
Provided is a modular display device for providing a digital representation of a blueprint. In one example, the device includes an elongated housing having an elongated opening parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing. A core is configured to fit inside the housing in a rotatable manner. A flexible display is configured to move between one state where a majority of the flexible display is positioned inside the housing and rolled around the core and another state where a majority of the flexible display is moved out of the housing through the opening and positioned outside of the housing to form a viewing surface. A height and a width of the flexible display are sufficient to provide a 1:1 scale view of a drawing having dimensions defined by a drawing standard used in at least one of an architectural industry, an engineering industry, or a construction industry.
US09244493B2 Charger
A charger includes a main body and a keyboard module received in the main body. The main body includes a case, a printed circuit board and a fastening member received in the housing. The fastening member includes two fastening frames formed on two opposite sides of the housing. The keyboard module includes a supporting member, a keyboard assembly, and a flexible circuit board electrically connected with the printed circuit board. The keyboard assembly is disposed on the supporting member. Two opposite sides of one of the two fastening frames and the supporting member respectively define a guiding slot, and two opposite sides of another one of the two fastening frames and the supporting member respectively form a track. The two tracks are separately received in the corresponding guiding slots. The supporting member and the keyboard assembly can slide out from the housing along the tracks.
US09244478B2 Local voltage control for isolated transistor arrays
Self-biasing transistor switching circuitry includes a main transistor, a biasing transistor, a first capacitor, and a second capacitor. The body of the main transistor is isolated from the gate, the drain, and the source of the main transistor by an insulating layer. The first capacitor is coupled between the source and the gate of the main transistor. The second capacitor is coupled between the source and the body of the main transistor. The body and the drain of the main transistor are coupled together. The gate and the drain of the biasing transistor are coupled to the gate of the main transistor. The drain of the biasing transistor is coupled to the drain of the main transistor. The self-biasing transistor switching circuitry is adapted to receive an oscillating signal at the drain of the main transistor, and use the oscillating signal to appropriately bias the main transistor.
US09244476B2 Electronic ballast with power factor correction
According to an exemplary implementation, an electronic ballast includes an input filter coupled to a resonant tank. The resonant tank is configured to generate a resonant current. The input filter is configured to receive an AC input voltage and to generate an AC input current from the resonant current by smoothing the resonant current. The electronic ballast also includes a half-bridge configured to feed the resonant tank so as to generate the resonant current and to receive a supply voltage that is in phase with the AC input voltage. The electronic ballast can also include a controller configured to control a power factor of the electronic ballast by switching the half-bridge. The controller can be configured to adjust a shape of the AC input current by adjusting switching of the half-bridge to thereby adjust a power factor of the electronic ballast.
US09244474B2 Power management in hazard detection systems
Hazard detection systems according to embodiments described herein are operative to provide failsafe safety detection features and user interface features using circuit topology and power budgeting methods that minimize power consumption. The safety detection features can monitor environmental conditions (e.g., smoke, heat, humidity, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, radon, and other noxious gasses) in the vicinity of the hazard detection system associated and alarm occupants when an environmental condition exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US09244473B2 Current ramping during multiphase current regulation
Voltage regulators in a current share arrangement may provide a total current to a common load, and may be simultaneously turned on to ramp up member currents. Each voltage regulator may provide a respective member current in the current share configuration. A target current value may be determined from a cycle-averaged current value of the member currents and a voltage error value of the voltage regulator, and each member current may be ramped to the target current value instead of the cycle-averaged current value when the voltage regulators are turned on, resulting in more stable and balanced current ramping. A predictive multi-phase digital controller may therefore operate according to a target current determined based on a measured or inferred inductor current and an error voltage. Pulse-width, pulse position and pulse frequency (adding or skipping pulses) may be calculated according to the operation of the predictive multi-phase digital controller.
US09244469B2 Automated HVAC system functionality test
Systems, methods, and mediums perform automated functionality testing for a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A method includes receiving a user input to test one of a heating or cooling functionality of the HVAC system. The method also includes identifying an amount to change a setpoint for a zone controller for the HVAC system based on the user input. The method further includes changing the setpoint for the zone controller to force the HVAC system into one of a heating mode and a cooling mode in accordance with the user input. Additionally, the method includes storing data from the HVAC system operating in the one of the heating mode and the cooling mode.
US09244464B2 Machine control system having autonomous edge dumping
A control system is disclosed for use with a machine at a worksite. The control system may have an offboard controller. The offboard controller may be configured to receive information regarding a berm at the worksite, determine starting and ending points spaced apart along an edge of the berm based on the information, and determine a maximum orthogonal distance from a virtual line extending between the starting and ending points to the edge of the berm. The offboard controller may be further configured to selectively validate the starting and ending points based on the maximum orthogonal distance, and to designate a center of the virtual line between validated starting and ending points as a dump target.
US09244460B2 Methods and apparatus for isolating safety functions in a motion control system for a vehicle
The present disclosure relates to an automated system for use in connection with longitudinal deceleration, longitudinal acceleration, and lateral acceleration functions. The system includes an interface receiving signals from and transmitting signals to a controller. The system also includes a safety kernel system comprising safety kernel software and a set of safety rules. Also disclosed are methods for use in a motion control system in connection with vehicle deceleration, acceleration, and lateral acceleration. The methods in some cases include receiving an initial request into a safety kernel software and determining whether the safety kernel software has received an override. The methods can also include detecting a violation of any primary safeguards defined by the safety kernel software, detecting a violation within a set of secondary safeguards defined by the safety kernel software, and adjusting the initial request to a modified level; and transmitting the modified level to an actuator.
US09244458B2 Method of numerical-control scraping of a work piece
A method of numerical-control scraping of a work piece has a preparing step, a scanning step, a flatness-parameter inputting step, a surface-finishing step, a related-parameter inputting step, an auto-scraping step and an analyzing step. The preparing step comprises preparing a multi-axis machine tool, a laser displacement meter, an auto scraping apparatus and a computer. The scanning step comprises scanning the work piece. The flatness-parameter inputting step comprises inputting a flatness-parameter. The surface-finishing step comprises calculating out the to-be-scraped ranges of the work piece and scraping the work piece. The related-parameter inputting step comprises inputting desired PPI and POP in the computer, calculating out the HOP, the DOS and the oil content to obtain the length, the width and the depth of a single scraping process. The auto-scraping step comprises scraping the work piece to meet the requirement. The analyzing step comprises detecting the 3D-appearance drawing of the work piece.
US09244453B2 Dynamic wizard execution
Systems and methods are provided for a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions is configured to provide a configuration wizard. The configuration wizard is configured to display, via a single screen, a first input-receiving control configured to receive a user input and a second input-receiving control configured to receive the user input. The configuration wizard is also configured to display a display area configured to display a first parameter value associated with a device. The first input-receiving control is displayed as active and the second input-receiving control is displayed as inactive. The second input-receiving control is displayed as active based on a first dependency.
US09244452B2 Configuration and monitoring via design diagram representation
A design diagram representation for an industrial operator interface that combines configuration and presentation aspects is provided. The design diagram representation illustrates state transitions, interlocks, and/or permissives for an industrial process or device as a dataflow diagram, a state diagram, or other such diagrams, and renders live state information for the process or device as numeric indicators, string indicators, color-animated state icons, and the like. Flow lines of the diagram are highlighted based on the displayed state information to convey an overall status of the process. In addition, the design diagram representation includes one or more data fields that allow an operator to modify or set a numeric variable for the industrial process (e.g. a timer, a setpoint, etc.), thereby allowing the industrial process to be viewed and configured using a single interface.
US09244450B2 Approach for switching between point types without affecting control logic
An approach for switching between point types without affecting control logic. The control logic may have a function block, input and output points connected with links to the function block. A point may be changed from one type to another type of point without affecting its link. A type of point may be modulating, binary, software, constant, or other.
US09244449B2 Wireless irrigation control
Some embodiments provide methods and systems of controlling irrigation. Some of these systems comprise: a connector of a controller interface (CI) coupled with an irrigation controller, wherein the connector is configured to receive a valve activation signal activated by the irrigation controller; a user interface of the CI; a processor of the CI configured to obtain valve transceiver (VT) programming with VT programming being received from inputs through the user interface, determine a station identifier, and identify as defined in the VT programming a remote valve associated with the station identifier and controlled by a remote VT; and a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit a wireless activation signal configured to be wirelessly received by the VT controlling the valve associated by the VT programming with the station identifier such that the VT is configured to control an actuator to actuate the valve.
US09244448B2 Serviceability strategy for machine control system
A system and method for controlling a machine is provided. For example, the method includes coupling removeably, at an on-board controller module of a machine, a first identification device, reading, using a reader in the on-board controller module, a code stored in the first identification device, receiving, at the on-board controller module, a wireless message including another code from a control console, comparing, using a processor in the on-board controller module, the code with the received another code, and processing, using a processor coupled to the reader, the wireless message based on the comparing to determine pairing with a second external wireless identification device of a control console to the machine if the code and the received another code match.
US09244445B2 Temperature control based on energy price
A system is disclosed comprising memory configured to store a temperature value based on a cost of a given energy resource, wherein the cost-based temperature value differs from a temperature value based on a temperature schedule. The system also comprises a controller operatively coupled to the memory and configured to compare the cost-based temperature value to the schedule-based temperature value, and to direct one of a cooling system and a heating system to maintain a temperature of an environment at the one of the cost-based temperature value and the schedule-based temperature value that results in an energy cost savings.
US09244440B2 Temperature dependent device
The present disclosure relates generally to a temperature dependent device. Embodiments of the invention provide information regarding the useful life of perishable goods.
US09244438B2 Angular and axial position sensor arrangement
The angular and axial position sensor arrangement includes several sensors arranged adjacently, and aligned parallel to the axis of an encoded member that is angularly and axially displaceable relative to the sensors. The encoded member includes N−1 axial detection encoded rings with value A along their entire circumference and includes an Nth axial detection encoded ring that is axially adjacent with value B, different from value A, along its entire circumference. The values of axial detection encoded rings are distinguishable by the sensors overlapping some axial detection encoded rings. The encoded member includes several angular detection encoded rings axially adjacent to the Nth axial detection encoded ring. The angular detection encoded rings include a coding pattern composed of A and B values along their circumference to determine angular position by some sensors overlapping them.
US09244437B2 Device for winding a timepiece by means of the crown
The invention relates to a device for winding a timepiece by means of the crown, said device including: a body having at least two housings inside which are respectively arranged a motor, a rechargeable battery, and an electronic control circuit, means for driving the crown disposed at one of the ends of the body of the device and secured to said motor, intended to rotatably drive said timepiece crown, According to the invention, the device includes a spring placed between said battery and said motor to permit said motor to slide in its housing with said drive means inside the body of said device, said motor being configured to slide into at least two positions, including: a rest position in which said motor is not supplied with power, and an operating position in which said motor is supplied with power in order to start the rotation of said drive means when said drive means are engaged and pressed onto the crown of said watch.
US09244435B2 Timepiece having a wide variety of appearances
A timepiece, which includes an ornamental body; a drive mechanism that moves the ornamental body; an output portion that outputs a sound; and a control portion that performs movement control for outputting a piece of theme music and moving the ornamental body from an initial position. The control portion further performs return control for outputting a piece of ending music and moving the ornamental body to the initial position after the movement control is finished. Under the return control, the outputted and selected pieces of ending music have different lengths depending on whether or not a position of the ornamental body is in front of a reference position. It is thus possible to design the movement pattern of the ornamental body under the movement control, without consideration of the stop positions of the ornamental body at the end of the movement control period; thereby, allowing for a wide variety of appearances for the timepiece.
US09244430B2 Image forming apparatus ensuring filtration of ozonated air
An image forming apparatus is provided with a casing, a drum unit including a photoconductive drum having a central axis extending in a first direction, and a charging device configured to charge the photoconductive drum, a fixing unit configured to fix an image on a printing medium, a fan configured to generate an air flow inside the casing, a filter configured to remove ozone included in the air, a first channel defined in the casing, the air directed from the fixing unit toward the fan flowing in the first channel, a second channel defined in the casing, the air directed from the charging device toward the fan flowing in the second channel, the filter being provided in the second channel, the second channel being arranged next to the first channel, and a blocking member configured to block communication between the first channel and the second channel.
US09244424B1 Cleaning blade, image forming apparatus and process cartridge
A cleaning blade cleaning the surface of an object includes a rigid holder; and a strip-shaped elastic body fixed on the holder, including a tip ridgeline to contact the surface of the object. The cleaning blade includes a part having a Martens hardness of from 0.9 to 5.0 N/mm2 at a depth of 20 μm from an undersurface of the blade including the ridgeline, 0.3 to 0.8 N/mm2 at a depth of 40 μm therefrom, and the Martens hardness at a depth of 20 μm therefrom larger than that at a depth of 40 μm therefrom by 0.6 N/mm2.
US09244423B2 Cleaning blade, and image forming apparatus and process cartridge using the cleaning blade
A cleaning blade includes a supporting member, and a tabular elastic member. One end portion of the elastic member is fixed to the supporting member, and the other end portion is a free end portion whose tip edge is to be contacted with a member to be cleaned while rubbing the surface to remove a residual material therefrom. The tip portion of the free end portion of the elastic member ranging in length from 0 to 500 μm from the tip surface thereof includes at least a cured material of a curable compound and an elastic material of the elastic member. The elastic member satisfies the relationship, 0.05(%)≦[(tM−tA)/tA]×100≦2%, wherein tM represents the maximum thickness of the tip portion of the elastic member, and tA represents the average thickness of the rear portion of the free end portion of the elastic member.
US09244419B2 Sheet compression apparatus and image forming apparatus
A sheet compression apparatus includes a pair of nipping members configured to be movable so as to contact and separate from each other and to compress a sheet while the sheet is nipped, and a contact/separation mechanism configured to perform a contact/separation operation of the pair of nipping members, and the contact/separation mechanism separates the nipping members from each other until a leading edge of the sheet fed by the sheet feeding unit passes between the nipping members, and then relatively moves the pair of nipping members closer to each other to start the nipping of the sheet so the sheet is compressed.
US09244416B2 Apparatus for measuring deposited toner amount commonly for thickness and area determining regions
In an apparatus for measuring a deposited toner amount of a toner patch formed on a toner carrier, an intersection between a light outgoing and incoming plane including an optical axis of the light emitting portion and light receiving portion of an optical sensor and a surface of the toner carrier is perpendicular to a direction of propagation thereof. The light outgoing and incoming plane is inclined at a mounting angle toward the direction of propagation of the toner carrier with respect to a plane including the intersection. A control unit calculates the deposited toner amount in accordance with one of a peak value and a bottom value of a sense voltage in a thickness determining region and calculates the deposited toner amount in accordance with the other of the peak value and the bottom value in an area determining region.
US09244409B2 Fixing device having nip member with elastic layer
A fixing device includes: a tubular endless belt, a heater, a nip member, an elastic layer and a backup member. The endless belt has an inner peripheral surface defining an internal space and is configured to circularly move in a moving direction. The heater is disposed in the internal space and is configured to generate radiant heat. The nip member is disposed in the internal space and spaced away from the heater. The elastic layer is fixed on the nip member and positioned between the nip member and the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt. The backup member and the nip member are configured to nip the tubular endless belt therebetween to provide a nip region between the backup member and the nip member.
US09244407B2 Fixing member with alkali metal ion, image heat fixing apparatus, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus
This invention provides a fixing member whose hardness is not easily changed even when used for a long period of time and which has high endurance. The fixing member has a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer in this order, in which the elastic layer contains silicone rubber, a thermally conductive filler containing alkali metal ions, and a compound having a phosphate group in the molecule.
US09244401B2 Image forming apparatus
In an image forming apparatus, the overall length of a heat generating resistor is set longer than the width of a recording paper, which is the greatest of widths of standard size recording papers that can be used on the image forming apparatus. An electrical resistance of an edge area of the heat generating resistor per unit length is set smaller than that of a center area of the heat generating resistor. The position of a boundary between the center area and the edge area is set so that the position of the side edge of the recording paper whose width is the greatest exists within the edge area and so that if the recording paper having the second greatest width is fed by a one edge-aligned paper feeding method, the position of the side edge of a recording paper whose width is the greatest of the widths of the standard size recording papers that can be used on the image forming apparatus except the width of the recording paper that is the greatest thereof is set at a position within the center area.
US09244400B2 Image heating apparatus
An image heating apparatus includes: first and second rotatable members configured to heat an image on a sheet at a nip; a roughening member configured to perform roughening of a surface of the first rotatable member when at least the first rotatable member of the first and second rotatable members rotates; a moving mechanism configured to move the roughening member relative to the first rotatable member so that the roughening member is movable between a contact position where the roughening member is contacted to the first rotatable member and a spaced position where the roughening member is spaced from the first rotatable member; an obtaining portion configured to obtain information indicating that the first rotatable member is new; and a controller configured to control the moving mechanism to perform the roughening upon obtaining of the information by the obtaining portion.
US09244398B2 Image forming apparatus
In accordance with one embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises a heating member configured to heat a recording medium, on the surface of which a toner image is carried, to fix the toner on the recording medium; a pressing member configured to contact with the recording paper from the back side of the recording paper; an induction heating section configured to heat the heating member through induction heating; a temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature nearby the heating member; a driving control section configured to carry out a control based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor so that the temperature of the heating member based on the induction heating section is within an allowable temperature range; a temperature range setting section configured to set the allowable temperature range so that the allowable temperature range is narrowed as time elapses from the start of a fixing processing.
US09244397B2 Image heating apparatus having fixing member and supplying cooling air to a non-sheet-passing area for cooling the fixing member
The image heating apparatus heats a toner image beard on a recording material while conveying the recording material at a nip portion, and includes: a heater; a fixing member; a pressure member; a first temperature detecting member; a second temperature detecting member configured to detect a temperature on non-sheet-passing area; a control device; and an air supplying member supplying an air to the non-sheet-passing area. The air supplying member is started to be drive when a temperature detected by the second temperature detecting member reaches a predetermined temperature which is higher than the target temperature. The control device controls the quantity of the air in response to information related to the power supplied to the heater when a temperature detected by the second temperature detecting member reaches the predetermined temperature.
US09244393B1 Image forming method
An image forming method includes forming an unfixed toner image on a recording medium using a toner that contains a carboxyl group-containing resin having a carboxyl group and an oxazoline group-containing resin having an oxazoline group, fixing the unfixed toner image to the recording medium to form a fixed toner image, and performing a heat treatment on the fixed toner image at a temperature higher than or equal to a fixing temperature.
US09244392B2 Image forming apparatus with oriented flake shape toner
An image forming apparatus includes a latent image forming unit that forms a latent image on a photoreceptor, a developing unit that accommodates a developer containing flake shape toner particles and develops the latent image using the developer to form a toner image on a surface of the photoreceptor, a transfer unit, a bias applying unit, and a fixing unit, wherein the flake shape toner particles have an average major axis length of from 7 μm to 20 μm and an average thickness of from 1 μm to 3 μm and contain a flake shape metallic pigment.
US09244389B2 Printing systems utilizing inks with high solids content
A printing system utilizing inks with high solids content includes a mixing unit for receiving a high solids content ink and producing a concentrated ink and an interim tank for receiving the concentrated ink from the mixing unit. An ink tank receives the concentrated ink from the interim tank and produces printing ink. An liquid electro-photographic print engine receives the printing ink from the ink tank. A fluid return line is connected between the mixing unit and at least one of the interim tank and the ink tank, the mixing unit receiving fluid from at least one of the interim tank and the ink tank and mixing the fluid with the high solids content ink. A method for liquid electro photographic printing using high solid content ink is also provided.
US09244387B2 Developer collecting device for suppressing decrease of developer collection rate and image forming apparatus
A developer collecting device includes a suction duct, a collecting box, and a suction mechanism. The suction duct has one end adjacent to a development device and another end. The collecting box is connected to the other end and configured to suction and collect developer around the development device via the suction duct. The suction mechanism is disposed in the middle of the suction duct. The suction mechanism includes a suction port that is openable and closable. The suction mechanism is configured to suction the developer inside the suction duct from an outside of the suction duct.
US09244384B2 Developer container and image forming apparatus including the same
A developer container includes a container body, a lid, a developer discharge port, a shaft, and a movable wall. The container body includes an inner surface defining a cylindrical internal space and a wall disposed at one end of the container body. The container body is formed with the developer discharge port. The lid is attached to the other end of the container body. The shaft includes a first engaging portion. The movable wall includes a conveying surface and a carrier bearing. The conveying surface defines a storage space configured to contain the developer. The carrier bearing includes a second engaging portion. The movable wall is movable along the shaft in the first direction while conveying the developer by engagement of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion. The first engaging portion includes a small pitch part having a relatively small thread pitch.
US09244381B2 Toner container
In one example, a toner container for an electrophotographic printer includes a toner supply reservoir having a capacity sufficient to store enough toner to print a minimum number of pages that corresponds to a predetermined expected useful life of the printer. In another example, a toner container for an electrophotographic printer includes a toner supply reservoir that, when the container is installed in the printer, extends longitudinally a distance greater than the distance between the light source and the photoconductor and laterally substantially the full axial length of the photoconductor. In another example, a toner container for an electrophotographic printer includes an opening for the imaging light beam and a toner supply reservoir that includes a lower chamber extending laterally under the opening and an upper chamber connected to the lower chamber along both sides of the opening.
US09244376B2 Developing device
Provided is a developing device including a storage container that stores a developer, a rotating body that supplies the developer to an image holding member in a supply region by being rotated with holding the developer, an inflow portion that is provided with an inflow port placed on a downstream side of the supply region in a rotation direction of the rotating body, and flows air into the storage container, and an outflow portion that is provided with an outflow port and emits air in the storage container from the outflow port, wherein the outflow port and the inflow port are placed to be adjacent to each other.
US09244374B2 Image forming apparatus
The image forming apparatus includes a process unit, a latent image writer, a power source, and a controller. The process unit is detachably attachable relative to the image forming apparatus and includes, as a single integrated unit, a latent image bearing member to bear a latent image on a surface thereof, a charging device to charge the surface of the latent image bearing member, and a development device to develop the latent image with toner. The controller causes the power source to output a charging bias at a predetermined target level supplied to the charging device. The process unit includes a first storage device to store correction information for calculating the predetermined target level of the charging bias in accordance with a combination of the latent image bearing member and the charging device. The controller corrects the predetermined target level based on the correction information in the first storage device.
US09244367B2 Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device manufacturing method
An exposure apparatus is equipped with an encoder system which measures positional information of a wafer stage by irradiating a measurement beam using four heads installed on the wafer stage on a scale plate which covers the movement range of the wafer stage except for the area right under a projection optical system. Placement distances of the heads here are each set to be larger than width of the opening of the scale plates, respectively. This allows the positional information of the wafer stage to be measured, by switching and using the three heads facing the scale plate out of the four heads according to the position of the wafer stage.
US09244365B2 Method for measuring pattern misalignment
According to one embodiment, a method for measuring pattern misalignment, includes: a first step obtaining image data; a second step specifying a measurement region; a third step calculating a first shift amount (x1, y1); a fourth step determining, after calculating the first shift amount, a first distribution; a fifth step executing a plurality of times the second step, the third step, and the fourth step; a seventh step calculating a second shift amount (x2, y2); an eighth step determining, after calculating the second shift amount, a second distribution; a ninth step executing a plurality of times the sixth step, the seventh step, and the eighth step; and a tenth step calculating a difference (x2−x1, y2−y1) between the second pattern misalignment and the first pattern misalignment.
US09244364B2 Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method
An exposure apparatus includes a control unit configured to calculate a target exposure amount distribution in a scanning direction within the target shot region using a target exposure amount at a position in the target shot region and a target exposure amount at a position in an adjacent shot region adjacent to the target shot region in the scanning direction and configured to perform a scan exposure for the target shot region while controlling an exposure amount according to scanning of the substrate so as to obtain the calculated target exposure amount distribution as an exposure amount distribution in a scanning direction within the target shot region.
US09244356B1 Transparent metal mesh and method of manufacture
Embodiments of the present disclosure include a metal mesh structure and a method of fabrication thereof. The metal mesh structure includes a metal mesh formed on a substrate. The metal mesh is a 2D or 3D pattern of lines. The lines in the first and second set are characterized by a linewidth that is less than 2 microns. Such metal mesh structures are fabricated through rolling mask lithography. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09244354B2 Method for producing thick film photoresist pattern
A method for producing a thick film photoresist pattern including laminating a thick photoresist layer including a chemically amplified positive-type photoresist composition for thick film on a support; irradiating the thick photoresist layer; and developing the thick photoresist layer to obtain a thick film resist pattern; in which the composition includes an acid generator, a resin whose alkali solubility increases by the action of an acid, and an organic solvent having a boiling point of at least 150° C. and a contact angle on a silicon substrate of no greater than 18°, in an amount of at least 40% by mass with respect to total mass of the organic solvent.
US09244352B2 Coating compositions for use with an overcoated photoresist
Coating compositions for use with an overcoated photoresist are provided where the coating composition comprises a resin containing cyanurate groups and hydrophobic groups. The coating composition can enhance resolution of an overcoated photoresist relief image.
US09244351B2 Composition for hardmask, method of forming patterns using the same, and semiconductor integrated circuit device including the patterns
A composition for a hardmask including copolymer including repeating units represented by Chemical Formulae 1 and 2 and a solvent, a method of forming a pattern using the same, and a semiconductor integrated circuit device including a pattern formed using the method are provided.
US09244350B2 Positive resist composition and patterning process
A positive resist composition is provided comprising a polymer comprising recurring units having a carboxyl or phenolic hydroxyl group substituted with an acid labile group and recurring units of hydroxyanthraquinone or hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-1,4-anthracenedione methacrylate, and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000. The resist composition has a satisfactory effect of suppressing acid diffusion and a high resolution, and forms a pattern of good profile and minimal edge roughness after exposure.
US09244349B2 Positive resist composition and method of forming resist pattern
A positive resist composition including a base component, an acid-generator component and a fluorine-containing polymer component (F) in a specific amount, the fluorine-containing polymer component (F) including a fluorine-containing polymer (F1) consisting of a structural unit (F-1) represented by general formula (F-1) (RC represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R1 and R2 represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or a fluorinated alkyl group, R3 represents a fluorine atom or a fluorinated alkyl group, and R4 represents an alkyl group or a fluorinated alkyl group) or a fluorine-containing copolymer (F2) containing the structural unit (F-1) and at least one structural unit selected from the group consisting of a structural unit (F-2) derived from an acrylate ester containing an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group and a structural unit (F-3) represented by general formula (F-3) (RC represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, Z represents a single bond or a divalent linking group, and r represents an integer of 0 to 2).
US09244347B2 Resist composition, compound, polymeric compound and method of forming resist pattern
A resist composition comprising a compound (m0) (wherein Rb1 represents an electron withdrawing group; Rb2 and Rb3 each independently represents an aryl group, an alkyl group or an alkenyl group, provided that Rb2 and Rb3 may be mutually bonded to form a ring with the sulfur atom; and X0− represents a monovalent counteranion).
US09244343B2 Pattern forming method and mask pattern data
According to one embodiment, a pattern forming method includes: forming a guide layer, including a base layer and a neutralization film with a plurality of parallel line sections, on a processing target film, forming a polymer material containing first polymer segments and second polymer segments, on the guide layer, forming a self-assembly pattern having a plurality of first polymer portions containing the first polymer segment and extending in a direction of the line sections, and a plurality of second polymer portions containing the second polymer segment alternating with the first polymer portions and extending along the direction of the line sections, and selectively removing the second polymer portions. The widths of line sections of both ends of the plurality of line sections of the neutralization film are about two times the width of each first polymer portion or each second polymer portion.
US09244337B2 Sports camera mounting apparatus
An apparatus for an attachable mount having a center plate with a mount for a camera is described. A first arm is coupled to a first end of the center plate and a second arm is coupled to a second end of the center plate. There is a catch coupled to an end of the first arm and a catch coupled to an end of the second arm. At least one of the catches is adjustable in distance from the center plate.
US09244336B2 Battery cover assembly with sliding door, and portable electronic device including the battery cover assembly
Battery cover assemblies functioning to open/close a terminal connection, and portable electronic devices including the battery cover assemblies are disclosed. A battery cover assembly is provided that includes a first plate having a first opening, a second plate having a second opening corresponding to the first opening, the second plate being combined with the first plate on one side of the first plate, and a sliding door disposed between the first and second plates for sliding between a closed position where the first and second openings are closed and an open position where the first and second openings are open.
US09244335B2 Imaging device and imaging method
An imaging device includes an imaging element configured to output an image signal in accordance with a target image acquired via an imaging lens, an autofocus detector configured to decide a focus in accordance with image data obtained from the image signal, a lens movement section configured to move the imaging lens on the basis of the focus, a driving condition setting section configured to set a driving condition of the imaging element, a point light source detector configured to determine whether or not the target is a point light source target on the basis of a brightness component of the image data, a target detector configured to detect a certain target from the image data, and a filter selection section configured to select a filter through which the image data is to be transmitted.
US09244334B2 Contact having an angled portion
Described herein are various embodiments of contacts that include different portions angled with respect to one another and methods of manufacturing devices that include such contacts. In some embodiments, a module may include a first portion of a contact that is disposed within a housing and a second portion that is disposed outside of the housing, with the second portion angled with respect to the first portion. Manufacturing such devices may include depositing a conductive material to electrically connect the contact to a contact pad of a substrate. In some embodiments, a deposition process for depositing the conductive material may have a minimum dimension, which defines a minimum dimension of a conductive material once deposited. In some such embodiments, a distance between a terminal end of the contact pin and the contact pad may be greater than the minimum dimension of the deposition process.
US09244329B2 Light deflector, method of manufacturing light deflector, and liquid crystal display
A light deflector which deflects incident light and emits the deflected light, by changing a refractive index of a liquid crystal: a pair of ITO films; a plurality of prisms which are provided between the pair of transparent electrodes and are arranged on a facing surface of one of the pair of transparent electrodes, the facing surface facing a surface of the other one of the pair of transparent electrodes; two spacers arranged between the pair of transparent electrodes, and having, in a direction from one of the pair of transparent electrodes toward the other, widths which (i) are greater than widths of the prisms and (ii) are identical to each other; and a liquid crystal which is provided, within a space between the pair of transparent electrodes, in a portion other than a portion where the prisms and the two spacers exist.
US09244318B2 Liquid crystal display device
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate including an insulative substrate, a first electrically conductive layer, a second electrically conductive layer, a third electrically conductive layer, a fourth electrically conductive layer. The first electrically conductive layer includes a gate line located on the insulative substrate, a common potential line and a first pad portion. The second electrically conductive layer includes a common electrode which is located on the insulative substrate and is put in contact with the common potential line, and a second pad portion stacked on the first pad portion. The fourth electrically conductive layer includes a pixel electrode in which a slit facing the common electrode is formed, and a third pad portion which is put in contact with the second pad portion.
US09244316B2 Display device
An illuminating device includes: a light source; a light guide plate which converts light emitted from the light source into a surface light ray and emits the surface light ray through a front surface of the light guide plate; and an optical sheet which changes a propagation direction of the surface light ray emitted from the light guide plate. The light source is arranged in opposition to one end surface of the light guide plate. A polarization state converting structure to convert a polarization state of the light propagating through the light guide plate is provided in a rear surface of the light guide plate. The polarization state converting structure contains an inclination plane having a ridge line extending in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the one end surface.
US09244313B2 Display device
Minimum distances between features in high resolution liquid crystal displays are described. Specifically, minimum distances between a column spacer and contact holes in adjacent pixels are described. Maintaining a minimum distance between a column spacer and a contact hole prevents the column spacer from being unintentionally placed in a nearby contact hole. This unintentional placement can be more likely in high resolution displays due to reduced pixel size.
US09244306B2 Color filter substrate, display panel and method for producing color filter substrate
A color filter substrate can include a first colored layer, a second colored layer, and a third colored layer that are arranged on a transparent substrate and that have mutually different hues, and a common electrode disposed so as to cover the first colored layer, the second colored layer, and the third colored layer, wherein the common electrode includes a first transparent electrode and a second transparent electrode that are disposed to overlap the first colored layer and the second colored layer, respectively, and that are made of a first transparent conductive film; a third transparent electrode that is disposed to overlap the third colored layer, the third transparent electrode being made of a second transparent conductive film that is different from the first transparent conductive film; and a fourth transparent electrode that is disposed to overlap the first colored layer, the fourth transparent electrode being made of the second transparent conductive film.
US09244297B2 Electro-optical devices using dynamic reconfiguration of effective electrode structures
Variable liquid crystal devices for controlling the propagation of light through a liquid crystal layer use a frequency dependent material to dynamically reconfigure effective electrode structures in the device. The drive signal source uses pulse-width modulation to set a frequency and an amplitude of the drive signal.
US09244292B2 Eyewear with exchangeable temples housing a radio frequency transceiver
A wireless ad hoc pico network is formed by eyewear having a radio frequency transceiver and other devices such as a computer, a bracelet and a telephone having similar transceivers mounted on them. Master slave relationships are configurable. Other devices, such as a radio, a CD player, a hand held global positioning satellite system and a heart rate monitor, having similar transceivers, can also be connected with the transceiver of the eyewear. The transceivers operate on a globally available, unlicensed radio band of 2.45 gigahertz (GHz).
US09244290B2 Method and system for coherence reduction
An optical system having coherence reduction capabilities includes a light source for generating a first light pulse; an asymmetrical pulse stretcher arranged to receive the first light pulse and to generate multiple light pulses, during a pulse sequence generation period, wherein the asymmetrical pulse stretcher includes multiple optical components which define a loop and a condenser lens is located between the asymmetrical pulse stretcher and an object, for directing the multiple pulses toward an area on the object At least two optical components of the multiple optical components are positioned in an almost symmetrical manner in relation to each other and introduce a coherence-related difference between at least two pulses of the multiple pulses. The pulse sequence generation period does not exceed a response period of a detector.
US09244286B2 Display, instrument panel, optical system and optical instrument
A multiple depth display provided for displaying images at different depths comprises a single display device (61), for displaying all of the images. An optical system (62, 63, 64) is disposed in front of the display device (61). The optical system comprises first and second spaced-apart partial reflectors (62, 63) and polarization optics (64) for providing first and second light paths for first and second images or sequences of images displayed by the device (61). The first light path (65) comprises partial transmission through the first reflector (62), partial reflection from the second reflector (63), partial reflection from the first reflector (62), and partial transmission through the second reflector (65) towards a viewing region.
US09244285B2 Interface using eye tracking contact lenses
Methods of eye gaze tracking are provided using magnetized contact lenses tracked by magnetic sensors and/or reflecting contact lenses tracked by video-based sensors. Tracking information of contact lenses from magnetic sensors and video-based sensors may be used to improve eye tracking and/or combined with other sensor data to improve accuracy. Furthermore, reflective contact lenses improve blink detection while eye gaze tracking is otherwise unimpeded by magnetized contact lenses. Additionally, contact lenses may be adapted for viewing 3D information.
US09244280B1 Near eye display system and method for display enhancement or redundancy
An apparatus provides a virtual display in an environment for various applications including avionic, naval, military, remote control, medical and other applications. The apparatus can be a near eye display, such as, a head up display (HUD) or head worn display (e.g., helmet mounted display (HMD), glasses-based, goggle-based, visor-based, etc.). The near eye display can include a combiner for providing one or more of: an image for a failed display, an image between two or more head down displays, or an image to direct attention to warnings or locations in the field-of-view of the combiner.
US09244273B2 Z-axis focusing beam brush device and associated methods
A beam brush includes one lens fixed for receiving a laser beam propagating along a first beam axis, a retroreflector positioned for redirecting the laser beam onto a second beam axis through a change in beam path length, and a second lens transmitting the redirected beam. The retroreflector is rotatable about an offset axis and has its angle of rotation controlled for affecting a change in beam path length. The angle of rotation resulting in the path length change is selected for providing a focus or divergence of the reflected beam transmitted through the second lens. Such a system is useful as a Z-axis focusing device operable an X-Y scanner located downstream the modified beam.
US09244272B2 Lidar system producing multiple scan paths and method of making and using same
A LiDAR system and method are disclosed, comprising a housing, a light source, a receiver, and a light deflection system comprising a light deflection element, rotatable and balanced about an axis, the element having at least three sides, at least two of the three sides having reflective surfaces, wherein at least a first side of the three sides is at a first angle in relation to the axis, and at least a second side of the three sides is at a second angle in relation to the axis, with the first angle being different from the second angle, such that light is deflectable from the reflective surface of the first and second sides out of the housing, whereby upon actuation of the light source and rotation of the light deflection element, the LiDAR system forms at least a first scan path and a second scan path.
US09244271B2 Miniature projection device for emitting laser beams
A miniature projection device includes a rotatable bracket assembly, a rotating plate, a driving device, and a light source unit. The rotating plate is rotatably mounted to the rotatable bracket assembly. The driving device is configured to drive the rotatable bracket assembly to rotate in a first direction, and to drive the rotatable plate to rotate in a second direction. The first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction. The light source unit is mounted on the rotatable plate and is capable of rotating together with the rotating plate. The light source unit is configured to emit laser beams and to project the laser beams onto a screen.
US09244270B1 Agile conformal scanner
A wide angle scanning system includes a plurality of rotationally symmetrical transmissive optical elements each having a non-refracting surface and a refracting surface; and a mechanical beam steering system including micro-mechanical steering elements, each being coupled to a respective one of the plurality of rotationally symmetrical transmissive optical elements for rotating a respective rotationally symmetrical transmissive optical element about a center of rotation that coincides with a center of the non-refracting surface.
US09244268B2 Actively tunable polar-dielectric optical devices
Optical devices that include one or more structures fabricated from polar-dielectric materials that exhibit surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs), where the SPhPs alter the optical properties of the structure. The optical properties lent to these structures by the SPhPs are altered by introducing charge carriers directly into the structures. The carriers can be introduced into these structures, and the carrier concentration thereby controlled, through optical pumping or the application of an appropriate electrical bias.
US09244263B1 Microscope head with multiple coaxial mechanical controls
A microscope head includes a housing having a pivot axis located generally at a center of gravity of the housing. At least one handle is connected to the housing coaxially with the pivot axis. Mounting structure is for rotatably mounting a support arm coaxially with the pivot axis. A tension control ring is attached coaxially with the pivot axis for varying a rotation force required to rotate the housing with the handle about the pivot axis. A magnification selector mechanism is connected to the housing coaxially with the pivot axis.
US09244261B2 Window blind solar energy management system
Disclosed is a window blind solar energy management system for capturing solar energy to manage illumination and temperature within a defined space. Blinds comprising curved louvers are hung from the internal frame of a window, each louver having a concave, highly reflecting specular mirrored surface that focuses incoming solar beam radiation onto a thin area on the back of the adjacent louver. The angle of the louvers is adjusted by an integral automatic controller so that the thin strip of light can be focused on one or two of three regions on the back of the adjacent louver which are designed to either reflect, absorb, or reject the incoming light.
US09244259B2 Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus including the same
A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side: a first positive lens unit not moving for zooming; a second negative lens unit moving during zooming; a third positive lens unit moving during zooming; a fourth positive lens unit moving during zooming; and a fifth positive lens unit not moving for zooming. Each of the lens units includes positive and negative lenses, and satisfies 10<νp−νn<54, −1<β2w<−0.05, −5<β2t<−1, and −1<β34z2<−0.3, where νp is average Abbe constant of the positive lens of the fourth unit, νn an average Abbe constant of the negative lens of the fourth unit, β2w a magnification of the second unit at wide angle end, β2t a magnification of the second unit at telephoto end, and β34z2 a magnification of a combined lens unit including the third and fourth unit at a zoom position where the magnification of the second unit is −1.
US09244258B2 Omnidirectional imaging system
To enable an image with no blind spot area to be obtained while ensuring a wide field of view, an omnidirectional imaging system includes: a primary mirror (101) including a hyperbolic mirror; a plurality of secondary mirrors (102) arranged around the primary mirror and each including a hyperbolic mirror; and a camera (104) that captures an image reflected by the primary mirror and images reflected by the plurality of secondary mirrors. A hyperboloid of the primary mirror and hyperboloids of the plurality of secondary mirrors have a substantially coincident outer focal point, and the camera (104) is placed so that a viewpoint of the camera substantially coincides with the outer focal point of the hyperboloid of the primary mirror (101) and the hyperboloids of the plurality of secondary mirrors (102), the viewpoint of the camera being an entrance pupil position of a lens attached to the camera (104).
US09244255B2 Miniature image pickup lens
A miniature image pickup lens includes a first lens, a second lens, an aperture, a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens in sequence along an optical axis from an object side to an image side. The first lens is a negative meniscus lens with a convex aspheric surface toward the object side and a concave aspheric surface toward the image side. The second lens has both aspheric surfaces including a convex surface toward the object side. The third lens is a positive biconvex lens. The fourth lens is a positive biconvex lens. The fifth lens is a negative lens with a concave surface toward the object side.
US09244254B2 Imaging lens
An imaging lens includes a first lens having positive refractive power; a second lens having positive refractive power; and a third lens having positive refractive power, arranged in the order from an object side to an image plane side. The first lens and the third lens have object-side surfaces and image plane-side surfaces, curvature radii of which are both positive. When the first lens has refractive power P1, the second lens has refractive power P2, the third lens has refractive power P3, the first lens has a focal length f1, and the third lens has a focal length f3, the imaging lens satisfies the following conditional expressions: 5.0<(P1+P3)/P2<8.5 6
US09244253B2 Small form factor high-resolution camera
A camera including a spherically curved photosensor and a lens system. Effective focal length f of the lens system is within about 20% of the radius of curvature of the photosensor. An image is formed by the lens system at a spherically curved image plane that substantially matches the concave surface of the photosensor. The camera is diffraction-limited with small spot size, allowing small pixels to be used in the photosensor. F/number may be 1.8 or less. The spherically curved image plane formed by the lens system at the photosensor follows f*θ image height law. Chief rays of the lens system are substantially normal to the concave surface of the photosensor. Total axial length of the camera may be 2.0 mm or less. The camera may be implemented in a small package size while still capturing sharp, high-resolution images, making the camera suitable for use in small devices.
US09244251B2 Wide-angle photographic lens system enabling correction of distortion
A wide-angle photographic lens system enabling correction of distortion composed of four lenses, in which a first lens, an iris, a second lens, a third lens and a fourth lens sequentially arranged along an optical axis from an object, wherein the first lens has weak refractivity, the second lens has positive refractivity, the third lens has strong positive refractivity, and the fourth lens has negative refractivity, wherein the lens system satisfies relations, |f1/f|>4, f3/f<1.5, and te/tc<0.5, wherein f1 is a focal length of the first lens, f is a total focal length of all the lenses, f3 is a focal length of the third lens, to is a lens thickness on an effective diameter of a rear surface of the third lens, and tc is a center thickness of the third lens.
US09244249B2 Double ball slide on mount with screw over sensor
A double ball rearview device mounting assembly includes a bracket having a windshield engagement surface, an internal sensor receiving aperture, and an external clip engagement wall. A sensor is adapted for reception in the internal sensor receiving aperture. A clip is operably coupled to the bracket to secure the sensor. A bracket cover is configured to slide into secure engagement with the bracket and includes a first mounting ball. A barrel is pivotally coupled to the first mounting ball at one end, and is pivotally coupled to a second mounting ball at the other end. A rearview device is operably mounted to the second mounting ball.
US09244240B2 Multi-core cable and method of manufacturing the same
A multi-core cable includes an insulated electronic wire arranged in the center of a cross-section of the cable, an insulated electronic wire arranged in proximity to the insulated electronic wire and having a diameter smaller than that of the insulated electronic wire, an even number of coaxial electronic wires arranged on the same circumference in the periphery of the insulated electronic wire and the insulated electronic wire, and a tensile strength fiber arranged in gaps between the coaxial electronic wires and the insulated electronic wire and the insulated electronic wire.
US09244238B2 Filler rod for cable seal and method
Optical fiber cables (180) are installed at an enclosure defining at least one cable port (109) by loading a seal block assembly (120, 140, 220, 340) onto each optical fiber cable (180); installing and/or connecting a fixation assembly (160, 460) onto each optical fiber cable (180); and latching the seal block assembly (120, 140, 220, 340) to the enclosure. The cable (180) is secured by the fixation assembly (160, 460). The fixation assembly (160, 460) retains one or more types of strength members (182, 183) of the optical fiber cable (180). The seal block assembly (120, 140, 220, 340) snaps and/or clips into a locked position relative to the enclosure. A filler rod (502) can be used to fill an unused port in the seal block assembly (120, 140, 220, 340). An attachment device (504) can be used to connect to the filler rod (502) for adding a new tube (510) to the seal block assembly.
US09244237B2 Optical fiber with resilient jacket
An optical fiber with a resilient jacket is disclosed. The optical fiber includes a cushion layer overlying the optical fiber in which the cushion layer is formed from a plurality of cushion members. The cushion members can be tubes that are hollow or that are partially or completely filled with a soft thermoplastic material. A polymeric sleeve overlies the cushion layer.
US09244230B2 Optical transmitter and interconnecting circuit board
An optical transmitter including: an optical module; an interconnecting circuit board configured to be electrically coupled to the optical module; and a printed circuit board configured to be electrically coupled to the interconnecting circuit board; wherein the interconnecting circuit board includes: a coplanar waveguide; and a microstrip line including a signal wiring line extended from an end of the coplanar waveguide and a ground wiring line, wherein the width of the signal wiring line is narrower than the width of a signal wiring line of the coplanar waveguide, and the spacing between the signal wiring line extended from the end of the coplanar waveguide and the ground wiring line is smaller than the spacing between the signal wiring line of the coplanar waveguide and the ground wiring line.
US09244226B2 Termination of optical fiber with low backreflection
A technique is described for terminating an optical fiber with low backreflection. At a selected end of the optical fiber segment, an endface is formed at a selected angle relative to the fiber axis. A suitable material is deposited onto the angled endface to form an angled reflective surface. The angled reflective surface is configured such that light propagating along the waveguide to the selected end of the optical fiber segment is reflected back into the optical fiber segment at an angle that prevents coupling of the reflected light into the fiber core. The reflected light is dissipated along the length of the fiber segment.
US09244221B1 Low modulus primary coatings for optical fibers
A coated optical fiber includes an optical fiber; and a primary coating encapsulating the optical fiber, the primary coating having an in-situ modulus of about 0.12 MPa or less at a thickness of about 32.5 μm, a Young's modulus as a cured film of about 0.7 MPa or less, and a Tg of about −22° C. or below, wherein the primary coating is the cured reaction product of a primary curable composition having a gel-time ratio relative to C1 of less than about 2.
US09244217B2 Bi-directional optical communication method and multi-core optical fiber
The present invention relates to a multi-core optical fiber applicable to an optical transmission line of bi-directional optical communication and a bi-directional optical communication method. The multi-core optical fiber has plural cores in a common cladding. Signal light is transmitted in a first direction through an arbitrary core among the cores, whereas the signal light is transmitted in a second direction opposite to a first direction, through all the nearest-neighbor cores to the arbitrary core.
US09244214B2 Display device and television receiver
A display device properly corrects chromaticity of display images with achieving high brightness. A liquid crystal display device 10 includes a liquid crystal panel 11 and a backlight unit 12. The liquid crystal display device 10 includes a pair of boards 11a, 11b and a liquid crystal layer 11c formed of liquid crystals that change their optical characteristics by implication of an electric field. The backlight unit 12 exits light toward the liquid crystal panel 11. One of the boards 11a, 11b of the liquid crystal panel 11 includes a color filter 19 including color portions R, G, B, Y each in red, green, blue, yellow. The backlight unit 12 includes LEDs 24 as a light source and each of the LEDs includes an LED chip 24a as a light emission source and a phosphor that is excited by light from the LED chip 24a and emits light. The phosphor includes at least a YAG-based phosphor.
US09244212B2 Illumination device having a tapered light guide
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for illumination devices. In one aspect, an illumination device having a longitudinal axis includes a light source and a light guide. The light guide has a peripheral edge, a transmissive illumination surface, a center portion, and an upper surface. The transmissive illumination surface is oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and disposed between the center portion and the peripheral edge. The upper surface is oriented relative to the illumination surface to define an angle α therebetween. In some implementations, the angle α can be greater than 15 degrees, for example.
US09244210B2 Light guide plate, display unit including the light guide plate, traffic sign including the display unit, and method of manufacturing the light guide plate and method of manufacturing the traffic sign
Even though no light source is provided in the vicinity of each curved apex of a main face, the brightness difference depending on the location on the main face is reduced, and a light guide plate that contributes to electric power saving can be provided. A display and a traffic sign including the display that can keep a small brightness difference depending on the location on the main face, and reduce the power consumption. The ratio of the area of the first diffusion dots and second diffusion dots within the second diffusion region is greater than the ratio of the area of the first diffusion dots within the first diffusion region. Even though no light source unit is provided at a curved section, the brightness difference (the unevenness of brightness) depending on the location on the entire main face is reduced, and electric power saving can be achieved.
US09244207B2 Optical frequency filter and a detector including such a filter
An optical frequency filter comprises a support layer having reflective elements formed thereon, the reflective elements defining at least one periodic grid of substantially parallel slits, the period P, the height, and the width of the slits being selected in such a manner that the reflective elements form a wavelength-selective structure for a wavelength lying in a determined range of wavelengths. The support layer material has a refractive index nh and includes inclusions of a material of refractive index nb, where nb is strictly less than nh. The inclusions are flush with the surface of the support layer opposite from its surface on which the reflective elements are formed, and present height hbwherein 0.5hh≦hb≦1hh, hh being the support layer height, and width lbwhere 0.05P≦lb≦0.75P. Each inclusion is situated at least in part between two reflective elements.
US09244202B2 Microlens array and a method of fabricating thereof
A method of fabricating a microlens array, the method comprising the steps of: compressing a shape memory polymer substrate with a predetermined load; indenting the shape memory polymer substrate to form an array of micro-indents; immersing the shape memory polymer substrate in a solvent capable of causing stress-enhanced swelling in the shape memory polymer substrate such that the array of micro-indents forms a corresponding array of micro-protrusions on the shape memory polymer substrate due to the stress-enhanced swelling of the micro-indents; and heating the shape memory polymer substrate to form at least one curved surface of the shape memory polymer substrate under the micro-protrusion array.
US09244200B2 Silicone hydrogel lenses with water-rich surfaces
The invention is related to a hydrated silicone hydrogel contact lens having a layered structural configuration: a lower water content silicone hydrogel core (or bulk material) completely covered with a layer of a higher water content hydrogel totally or substantially free of silicone. A hydrated silicone hydrogel contact lens of the invention possesses high oxygen permeability for maintaining the corneal health and a soft, water-rich, lubricious surface for wearing comfort.
US09244198B2 Azo compound, dye-based polarizing film and polarizing plate
The present invention relates to an azo compound represented by the following formula (1), [wherein, A represents a phenyl group which may have a substituent, R1 to R6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having a carbon atom number of 1 to 5, an alkoxy group having a carbon atom number of 1 to 5, a sulfo group, or an alkoxy group having a sulfo group and a carbon atom number of 1 to 5, and X represents an amino group which may have a substituent, a benzoylamino group which may have a substituent, a phenylamino group which may have a substituent, a phenylazo group which may have a substituent, or a naphthotriazole group which may have a substituent] or/and a salt thereof and to a polarizing film and a polarizing plate which contain it.
US09244195B2 Silicone hydrogel lenses with nano-textured surfaces
The invention is related to a method for making a silicone hydrogel contact lens having a nano-textured surface which mimics the surface texture of cornea of human eye. A method of the invention comprises creating a prime coating having nano-textures through controlled imbibition and/or depositions of a reactive polymeric coating material and fixing the nano-textures by crosslinking a hydrophilic polymeric material onto the prime coating to form a crosslinked polymeric coating that perserves the nano-textures of the prime coating and provides a nano-textured surface to the contact lens.
US09244192B2 Precipitation sensor
A precipitation sensor including a cantilevered sensor member having a cantilevered portion and an upper and a lower surface extending on opposite sides of the cantilevered portion. The sensor member can receive falling precipitation on the upper surface and vibrate when struck by such precipitation. The cantilevered portion can have outer perimeter edges that are sloped downwardly for shedding the precipitation off the cantilevered portion. An electromechanical sensor can be incorporated with at least a part of the cantilevered portion of the sensor member for sensing the vibrations of the sensor member caused by the precipitation, and generating an electrical response from which precipitation properties can be determined. A support structure can be connected to the lower surface of the cantilevered portion at about a central region of the sensor member for supporting the sensor member. The cantilevered portion extends outwardly beyond the support structure.
US09244190B2 Transmitting electric power using electromagnetic waves
Technologies are generally described for transmitting electric power using electromagnetic waves. An example device may include a transmitting unit, a dielectric waveguide, and a receiving unit. The transmitting unit can be configured to transmit the electromagnetic wave through a first waveguide. The dielectric waveguide can be configured to direct the electromagnetic wave from the first waveguide to a second waveguide. Further, the receiving unit can be configured to receive the electromagnetic wave from the dielectric waveguide through the second waveguide. An example borehole radar system may generate an electromagnetic wave from a DC power supply and provide the electromagnetic wave to a power transmitting unit. The power transmitting unit can be configured to transmit the electromagnetic wave through a dielectric waveguide. The electromagnetic wave can be rectified to generate a DC voltage signal, by which a transmitting antenna may be powered to generate a radar signal.
US09244187B2 Towable and steerable marine seismic source arrangement
A towable and steerable elongated float for a marine seismic source arrangement for use in making a seismic survey at sea, having first attachment means at a lower or bottom part of a float body for allowing at least one seismic source to be suspended from the float, and second attachment means on a fore part of the float body for attachment of a strength taking source towing line or umbilical. The float body comprises first and second elongated steering foils being attached to and spaced from respective port and starboard sides of the fore part of said float body by respective support arrangement. The steering foils have respective longitudinal steering foil axes being oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the float body and so as to be substantially perpendicular to a sea surface when in use, the elongated steering foils having respective first and second chord axes. Controlling means control an angle of at least one of the first and second chord axis with respect to the float body longitudinal axis.
US09244184B2 Rigid-stem lead-in method and system
Disclosed are methods and systems for using a rigid-stem lead-in assembly comprising a plurality of interconnected rigid stems in a marine geophysical survey. An embodiment discloses a method of towing a survey device from a survey vessel, comprising: coupling the survey device to the survey vessel with a lead-in comprising a rigid-stem lead-in assembly, the rigid-stem lead-in assembly comprising a plurality of rigid stems that are interconnected and each comprise a stem both defining one or more interior chambers; and towing the survey device through a body of water. Also disclosed are marine geophysical survey methods and marine survey systems.
US09244183B2 Fracture characterization from refraction travel time data
Refracted energy travel time can help to derive anisotropic parameters in a target layer. These anisotropic parameters allow us to both explore for new reservoirs and to understand stress and fracturing in existing reservoirs. This information can be used to i) detect oil reservoirs, ii) spot naturally fractured, hence high production zones, iii) detect dominant natural stress directions, iv) better place horizontal wells to optimize production, v) monitoring man made fractures or induced directional stress changes. The method is demonstrated using synthetic and real data.
US09244181B2 Full-waveform inversion in the traveltime domain
A method for processing seismic data. The method includes predicting seismic data according to an earth model representing seismic properties of subterranean formations in the earth, determining a difference between seismic data acquired from one or more seismic receivers and the predicted seismic data, projecting the difference into a model space in traveltime, and updating the earth model according to the projected difference. As a result, the updated earth model more accurately represents the seismic properties of subterranean formations in the earth.
US09244172B2 Selection of a subset of global navigation satellite system measurements based on prediction of accuracy of target parameters
An optimum measurement subset with a specified number n of elements is generated from a set of N>n weighted input global navigation satellite system (GNSS) measurements. A group of trial measurement subsets is generated by removing a different individual weighted input GNSS measurement from the set. A value of accuracy criterion for a target parameter is calculated for each trial measurement subset, and the trial measurement subset with the minimum value of accuracy criterion is selected. A new group of trial measurement subsets is generated by removing a different individual weighted GNSS measurement from the previously selected trial measurement subset. A value of accuracy criterion is calculated for each new trial measurement subset, and a new trial measurement subset with the new minimum value of accuracy criterion is selected. The process is repeated until the selected trial measurement subset has the specified number n of elements.
US09244171B2 TOF camera for vehicle and method for driving the same
A TOF camera for a vehicle includes a light emitting unit that irradiates light to an object, a light receiving unit that detects a distance to the object based on light reflected and returned from the object and generates a modulation signal for frequency modulation of the light, and a control unit that controls driving of the light emitting unit according to the modulation signal of the light receiving unit. The light emitting unit includes a plurality of laser diodes. The control unit decides a driving order of the laser diodes according to the modulation signal of the light receiving unit so as to control driving of the laser diodes, and decides current values of the laser diodes according to the modulation signal of the light receiving unit so as to control current amounts of laser diodes to be driven.
US09244170B2 Visual display with illuminators for gaze tracking
A visual display includes hidden reference illuminators adapted to emit invisible light for generating corneo-scleral reflections on an eye watching a screen surface of the display. The tracking of such reflections and the pupil center provides input to gaze tracking. A method for equipping and an LCD with a reference illuminator are also provided. Also provides are a system and method for determining a gaze point of an eye watching a visual display that includes reference illuminators. The determination of the gaze point may be based on an ellipsoidal cornea model.
US09244168B2 Sonar system using frequency bursts
A sonar system using frequency bursts. A sonar system for use with a vessel may include a sonar module having a transmitting element configured to generate a transmit signal, where the transmit signal comprises one or more bursts, and where at least one burst comprises a first portion having a first frequency and a second portion having a second frequency different than the first frequency. The sonar system may also include a transducer array in communication with the sonar module, where the transducer array is configured to (i) receive the transmit signal from the transmitting element, (ii) produce one or more sonar beams based on the first frequency and the second frequency, and (iii) receive one or more sonar return signals from an underwater environment.
US09244167B1 Long range weather information display system and method
A system and method of displaying weather data related to weather for an aircraft can include receiving onboard weather data and external weather data. A vertical weather profile is provided on a display based on the onboard weather data and the external weather data. Display includes a first portion associated with a first range closest to the aircraft and a second portion associated with a second range farthest from the aircraft. First images of weather in the first range are provided on the first portion in response to the onboard weather data and second images of the weather in the second range are provided on the second portion in response to the external weather data. Blended images can be provided on a blended portion between the first range and the second range.
US09244160B2 Ultrasonic transducer drive
In some illustrative embodiments, an ultrasonic transducer drive includes a signal generator for producing an outgoing signal and a transducer for converting the outgoing signal to outgoing ultrasound. The transducer may also convert at least a portion of ultrasound reflected by an object to an incoming signal. The transducer may have a transmit side connected conductably to the signal generator during at least a first predetermined period of time and a receive side connected conductably to a signal receiver during at least a second predetermined period of time. A shunt may be connectable between the receive side and a reference potential. The signal generator may generate the outgoing signal during at least substantially the first predetermined period of time while the shunt connects the receive side to the reference potential. The signal receiver may receive the incoming signal during substantially the second predetermined period of time while the shunt is substantially open.
US09244158B2 Depth sensing using active coherent signals
Reflectors in a scene are reconstructed using reflected signals. First, signals are transmitted to the scene, and the reflected signals are received by receivers are arranged in an array. The reflected signals are then processed to reconstruct the reflectors in the scene, wherein the processing enforces a model that a reflectivity of the scene in front and behind any reflector is equal to zero.
US09244154B2 System and method for positioning device under test
A positioning system includes at least one DUT (Device Under Test) and a mobile device. A wireless connection is established between the DUT and the mobile device. The mobile device is moved along a path which includes at least two different measurement positions. The mobile device measures a distance between the DUT and each of the measurement positions. Then, the mobile device obtains a target position, at which the DUT is located, according to the measurement positions and the distances.
US09244153B2 Radio frequency identification in safety applications
Aspects of the present invention provide an RFID system for safely controlling an auto guided vehicle, an automated robot or other moving object (“AGV”). The system may include a plurality of radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tags, and each may store a unique identification in a first memory location, a position in a second memory location and/or an instruction in a third memory location. An AGV having an RFID transceiver or antenna and a computer with a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a predetermined table may read one or more of the memory locations. The table comprises a plurality of data elements with certain data elements associated with particular RFID tags. The AGV safely determines its location upon matching the one or more memory locations read with one or more data elements, or triggers a fault upon failing to match. The AGV may also predict the next RFID tag.
US09244143B2 Method and apparatus for capturing magnetic resonance image
An apparatus for capturing a magnetic resonance (MR) image includes: a radio frequency (RF) transmitter which transmits an RF pulse sequence including a spiral pulse sequence having at least one spiral trajectory and a first blade having at least one parallel trajectory and intersecting the at least one spiral trajectory on a center of k-space; and a data processor which obtains the MR signal in response to the transmitted RF pulse sequence.
US09244142B2 Method for operating a receiving device for magnetic resonance image signals of a body
A receiving device for magnetic resonance (MR) image signals of a body is operated in an MR system such that for at least one coil element of the receiving device, a space domain, in which a spatial sensitivity of the coil element satisfies a predetermined criterion, is determined. A center frequency and a bandwidth of the MR image signal radiated by the body in the space domain are determined for the space domain. A receive path disposed downstream of the coil element is parameterized for operation at the determined center frequency and with the determined bandwidth.
US09244139B2 Method and apparatus for MRI compatible communications
An MRI compatible communication system is disclosed. An interface module manages communications between devices within and external to the MRI scan room. The interface module also translates messages between varying wireless communication standards and protocols for retransmission to other devices. The communication system is configurable to transmit and/or receive data between physiological sensors, the MRI controller, patient monitoring devices, patient entertainment devices, and other computers. The interface module is configurable to be placed either in the control room or in the scan room.
US09244138B2 Magnetic resonance antenna arrangement and magnetic resonance system
A magnetic resonance antenna arrangement includes at least one first antenna group including individually-controllable first antenna conductor loops and a second antenna group adjacent to the first antenna group. The second antenna group includes individually-controllable, longitudinal second antenna elements. The first antenna conductor loops essentially extend in a first extending surface and are disposed in the first extending surface in a first direction in a row behind one another. The longitudinal second antenna elements extend with the longitudinal axes transverse to the first direction disposed in parallel next to one another in a second extending surface that runs essentially in parallel to the first extending surface. Each of the second antenna elements are coupled at first and second end areas to a conductive element to form a second conductor loop with the conductive element. The second antenna elements are disposed to overlap an adjacent first antenna loop in each case.
US09244137B2 Optical pumping magnetometer and magnetic sensing method
An optical pumping magnetometer is provided that is capable of improving the response of the magnetometer with respect to a magnetic field that varies with a period shorter than the transverse relaxation time of electron spin of an alkali metal atom.
US09244132B2 Systems and methods for determining battery state-of-health
A system and method use an open-circuit voltage (OCV) method of calculating a state-of-health (SOH) of a chemical battery. The OCV system and method includes charging the battery to a maximum charge potential, determining an open-circuit voltage (OCV) of the battery after waiting a predetermined period of time after completion of the charging, and determining the SOH of the battery based on the determined OCV of the battery. Another system and method use a time-to-charge (TTC) method of calculating a state-of-health (SOH) of a chemical battery. The TTC system and method includes monitoring and storing a charge time of the battery in a memory and scaling the stored charge time to form an SOH indication.
US09244128B2 Deep-discharge protection method and motor vehicle
A deep-discharge protection method for protecting a battery of a parking motor vehicle is shown. In this case, a state of charge of the battery is regularly monitored by a battery control unit and is transmitted to an evaluation unit. When a predefined state of charge of the battery is reached, a message is transmitted from a communication unit to a stored address by mobile radio and/or information acquired using a sensor system is used by the evaluation unit to determine whether a situation of the motor vehicle is suitable for autonomous recharging of the battery.
US09244127B2 Quick reference relay diagnostic circuit
The present invention allows a technician a quick reference diagnostics of an automotive individual electrical circuit by replacement of the OEM relay with a diagnostics relay incorporating a series of LED bulbs designed to illuminate individually upon completion of each internal switching function. Adjacent to an LED is a voltage portal which allows measurement of voltage during each function stage of relay switching.
US09244124B2 Initializing and testing integrated circuits with selectable scan chains with exclusive-or outputs
Embodiments of the invention provide a scan test system for an integrated circuit comprising multiple processing elements. The system comprises at least one scan input component and at least one scan clock component. Each scan input component is configured to provide a scan input to at least two processing elements. Each scan clock component is configured to provide a scan clock signal to at least two processing elements. The system further comprises at least one scan select component for selectively enabling a scan of at least one processing element. Each processing element is configured to scan in a scan input and scan out a scan output when said the processing element is scan-enabled. The system further comprises an exclusive-OR tree comprising multiple exclusive-OR logic gates. The said exclusive-OR tree generates a parity value representing a parity of all scan outputs scanned out from all scan-enabled processing elements.
US09244123B1 Synchronous circuit, method of designing a synchronous circuit, and method of validating a synchronous circuit
A synchronous circuit comprises a functional circuitry and one or more validation circuits for validating synchronization of the functional circuitry. The functional and the validation circuits are clocked by a clock source. Each validation circuit comprises a clock distribution network, a test signal generator, a capture cell, a test signal path from the test signal generator to the capture cell, and a verification unit. The clock distribution network applies a launch clock signal at the test signal generator and a capture clock signal at the capture cell. The test signal generator produces a bi-level test signal. The test signal path transmits the test signal to the capture cell, which generates a proof sequence by sampling the test signal. The verification unit determines whether the proof sequence is identical to the test sequence.A method of designing a synchronous circuit and method of validating a synchronous circuit are also described.
US09244117B2 Systems and methods for implementing S/SSTDR measurements
Systems and methods which utilize spread spectrum sensing on live circuits to obtain information regarding a circuit under test are provided. In some embodiments S/SSTDR testing may be utilized to obtain R, L, C and Z measurements from circuit components. In yet further embodiments, these measurements may be utilized to monitor the output of sensors on a circuit.
US09244111B2 Amperage/voltage loop calibrator with loop diagnostics
A testing device determines values of various electrical variables associated with a device within a process system. The testing device provides bi-directional electrical communication with a device to be monitored and automatically provides a connection configuration between a processing unit and a set of input/output ports. The processing unit outputs a test signal and a configuration control signal to the input/output port control circuitry. The input/output port control circuitry provides a connection configuration to direct the test signal to the device to be monitored and directs a return signal from the monitored device to the processing unit. The processing unit measures an electrical characteristic of the return signal and determines at least two electrical variables associated with the monitored device based upon the measured electrical characteristic of the return signal.
US09244110B2 Leakage current detector for AC and DC systems
A leakage current detector for an electricity supply comprising a plurality of supply conductors supplying a load, the leakage detector comprising a connection from each supply conductor to a common conductor, a circuit for detecting a differential current flowing in the connections, and a circuit arranged to provide an output signal when the differential current reaches a predetermined magnitude.
US09244109B2 Current measuring device and method
In one aspect of the invention there is provided a device comprising electrical connector means adapted releasably to connect the device to an electrical circuit overload protection apparatus of a motor vehicle, the device comprising means for measuring an amount of electrical current flowing therethrough and means for outputting from the device a signal corresponding to the amount of electrical current flowing therethrough.
US09244106B2 Method and device for measuring the phase-noise spectrum of a pulsed sinusoidal signal
A device for measuring the phase-noise spectrum of a pulsed sinusoidal signal generates a pulsed sinusoidal signal, converts the analog pulsed sinusoidal signal into a corresponding digital, pulsed sinusoidal signal and mixes the digital, pulsed sinusoidal signal into the baseband by means of quadrature mixing. Following this, the phase of the pulsed sinusoidal signal in the baseband is determined by means of Fourier transform of the phase of the pulsed sinusoidal signal, the phase spectrum of the pulsed sinusoidal signal is determined, and the phase-noise spectrum of the pulsed sinusoidal signal is determined by removing the spectral lines associated with the sinusoidal signal from the phase spectrum. According to the invention, the pulse pauses are removed from the pulsed sinusoidal signal in the baseband.
US09244105B2 Portable spherical near-field antenna measurement system
A portable near-field measurement system for mapping radio frequency characteristics spherically about a test object is presented. The system includes an anechoic chamber, a rotatable annular platter, a rotatable platter, a stationary platform, and frequency converters. The chamber is an enclosure with an absorber material fastened to the interior thereof. The annular platter is disposed horizontally within the chamber and fastened to an azimuth positioner that rotates the annular platter about an azimuth rotation axis. The rotatable platter is disposed vertically within the chamber and rotatable about an elevation rotation axis via an elevation positioner. Azimuth and elevation axes intersect perpendicularly. A gantry arm with probe is fastened to and extends from the rotatable platter. A vertical arm is fastened between the annular platter and elevation positioner. Platters have front and back surfaces. A stationary platform is centered within the annular platter and attachable to a test column. Front surfaces are oriented toward the test column and covered with an absorber material. At least one frequency converter is fastened to the back surface of the rotatable platter and communicable with the probe. At least one other frequency converter is fastened to the stationary platform and communicable with a target.
US09244102B2 Comparator, oscillator using the same, dc/dc converter, control circuit thereof, and electronic apparatus
A comparator compares a first input voltage and a second input voltage to generate a comparative output depending on a result of the comparison. The comparator includes a first input terminal configured to receive the first input voltage, a second input terminal configured to receive the second input voltage, a differential pair including a first input transistor whose control terminal is connected with the first input terminal and a second input transistor whose control terminal is connected with the second input terminal, a tail current source configured to supply a tail current to the differential pair, and a load circuit connected to the first input transistor and the second input transistor, and the tail current source increases the tail current, as the first input voltage approaches the second input voltage, depending on the first input voltage.
US09244097B1 Mechanosynthetic tools for a atomic-scale fabrication
The present invention is directed to methods for the synthesis of products via mechanosynthesis, including bootstrap means to go from atomically-imprecise to atomically-precise tools, methods for determining reaction sequences for workpieces, and methods for creating new reactions, reaction sequences and tips.
US09244096B2 Closed loop controller and method for fast scanning probe microscopy
A method of operating a metrology instrument includes generating relative motion between a probe and a sample at a scan frequency using an actuator. The method also includes detecting motion of the actuator using a position sensor that exhibits noise in the detected motion, and controlling the position of the actuator using a feedback loop and a feed forward algorithm. In this embodiment, the controlling step attenuates noise in the actuator position compared to noise exhibited by the position sensor in a bandwidth of about seven times the scan frequency. Scan frequencies up to a third of the first scanner resonance frequency or greater than 300 Hz are possible.
US09244093B2 Micro-electro-mechanical sensing device and manufacturing method thereof
A micro-electro-mechanical sensing device including a substrate, a semiconductor layer, a supporting pillar, a first suspended arm, a connecting member, a second suspended arm, and a proof mass is provided. The semiconductor layer is disposed on or above the substrate. The supporting pillar is disposed on or above the semiconductor layer. The first suspended arm is disposed on the supporting pillar. The supporting connects a portion of the first suspended arm. The connecting member directly or indirectly connects another portion of the first suspended arm. The second suspended arm has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The connecting member connects a portion of the first surface. The proof mass connects the second suspended arm and it includes a portion of the second suspended arm as a portion of the proof mass. A method for manufacturing the device is also provided.
US09244090B2 Speed sensor assembly
A robust and compact speed sensor assembly that includes a Hall effect sensor with protective circuitry in a compact housing that can be attached to the wheel of a motorcycle in the vicinity of the brake rotor to present the sensor Hall plate in a proper transverse-to-target orientation to detect passing targets, such as the brake rotor mounting bolts or magnets.
US09244087B2 Methods for using a pipetting device with independently movable pipette units
The invention provides for a method of pipetting samples using a pipetting device including more than one pipetting unit. Each of the pipetting units are independently movable in Y and Z directions and includes an upper and a lower frame. Two adjacent pipetting units include a module arranged in a staggered manner in either of the respective upper and lower frames.
US09244083B2 Compositions and methods for detecting vitamin D
Compounds include carbamate derivatives of vitamin D including vitamin D3and vitamin D2. The compounds are useful in methods and kits for determining the presence and/or amount of vitamin D including vitamin D analogs and metabolites thereof in a sample suspected of containing the same.
US09244081B2 Cell-based fluorescent assays for identifying alpha and delta ENaC modulators
This invention relates to improved electrophysiological assays that measure sodium conductance activity of a delta or alpha human epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) expressed in a test cell in the presence and absence of delta hENaC enhancers. The improvement comprises contacting the test cells with an amount of sodium ion, typically from at least 15 mM to 140 mM, for a time sufficient, e.g. for at least 5 minutes to an hour, prior to the test cells being screened against at least one putative enhancer. It has been surprisingly discovered that this sodium pretreatment enhances assay sensitivity, especially assays that use membrane potential or ion sensitive dyes that detect changes in conductance fluorimetrically. These enhancer compounds have potential application in modulating (enhancing) salty taste perception and for treating disorders involving aberrant hENaC function.
US09244080B2 Method for diagnosing allergic reactions
The invention provides a method for multiple cytokine detection from single cells for the purpose of generating immunological profiles of diseases.
US09244079B2 Testing method and testing reagent for angiitis
[Problem] The present invention provides a novel pathological marker of angiitis which serves as an alternative to MPO-ANCAs.[Means for Solution] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for testing angiitis which includes a step of detecting an antibody specifically recognizing a moesin in a biological sample is provided. In addition, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a reagent for testing angiitis which contains a substance that detects an antibody specifically recognizing a moesin in a biological sample is provided.
US09244078B2 Oxidizable species as an internal reference in control solutions for biosensors
Testing of the performance of an electrochemical meter used to measure the presence of an analyte in a biological sample, particularly glucose in whole blood, includes introducing a control solution containing a predetermined amount of the analyte and a predetermined amount of an internal reference compound. The internal reference compound is selected such that it is oxidized at a potential greater than that used to oxidize the analyte, thereby making it possible to distinguish the control solution from a biological sample.
US09244077B2 Method system and device for assessing insulin sensitivity
A method and a system for determining insulin sensitivity (IS) is described. In one aspect the method and the system can be implemented by receiving a first parameter corresponding to an insulin dose in a subcutaneous tissue; applying a first kinetic model to obtain a plasma insulin concentration based on the first parameter; receiving a second parameter corresponding to a plasma glucose concentration; determining the insulin sensitivity (IS) based on the plasma insulin concentration and the second parameter.
US09244076B2 Fluorescent label for biological substance detection method
The present invention provides a fluorescent label that can be used for carrying out a biological substance detection method for specifically detecting a biological substance from a pathological specimen, by which method, when immunostaining using a fluorescent label and staining for morphological observation using a staining agent for morphological observation are simultaneously performed, the results of fluorescence observation and immunostaining can be assessed properly even if the fluorescent label and/or the staining agent is/are deteriorated by irradiation with an excitation light. The fluorescent label is a fluorescent dye-containing nanoparticle in which the parent material is a cross-linked polymer and the fluorescent dye is an aromatic ring-based dye molecule. The cross-linked polymer is suitably a melamine resin or a styrene resin. The aromatic ring-based dye molecule is suitably a perylene and more suitably a perylene diimide. The dye molecule can have a polar group such as sulfonic acid group or its acid halide.
US09244074B2 Biomarker of asbestos exposure and mesothelioma
Several embodiments provided herein relate to methods of diagnosing asbestos exposure or mesothelioma. Several embodiments also relate to methods of differentiating whether a tumor of the lung is lung cancer or mesothelioma.
US09244072B2 Anti-human norovirus GII antibody
An anti-human-norovirus GII antibody which responds to substantially all genotypes of the human noroviruses belonging to GII and which can comprehensively detect such human noroviruses GII. The anti-human-norovirus GII antibody that binds to at least one of epitopes which are contained in amino acid regions represented by the following formulas (1) and (2): P-X1-X2-P-G-E  (1) (SEQ ID NO: 2) X3-X4-X5-F-Y-X6-L-X7-P-X8  (2) (SEQ ID NO: 3) (wherein, X1 represents L, V, N, T, S, M, or R; X2 represents F, Y, or M; X3 represents V or G; X4 represents N or S; X5 represents Q, P, or S; X6 represents S, T, or I; X7 represents A or S; and X8 represents M or V), and of an epitope formed of amino acid 483 of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, or an epitope formed of an amino acid corresponding to amino acid 483, the regions and the amino acids being present in the P domain of a capsid structural protein of a human norovirus GII.
US09244071B2 Compositions and methods for assessing cytotoxicity of single cells
The invention provides a method of analyzing interactions between pairs of target and effector cells utilizing high-throughput screenings methods for profiling large numbers of single cells in microarrays.
US09244063B2 Immunoassay for assessing related analytes of different origin
The disclosure describes immunoassay methods for measurements of concentrations of related analytes in samples of body fluids from different mammalian species. More particularly, the disclosure describes reagents and methods that may be used for assays of a mammalian antigen across a range of different mammalian species, using immunological reagents based on non-mammalian antibodies the mammalian antigen. In addition, a calibrator or a set of calibrators are described that are assigned with concentration values for the antigen for each of the different mammalian species.
US09244061B2 Methods and compositions for diagnostic assays for measuring cell mediated immune response
Described are compositions and methods for detecting or monitoring the ability of an individual to mount a cell mediated immune response to a target antigen. Methods rely in part upon the physical association, e.g., by fusion, of a Lethal Factor (LF) polypeptide with a target antigen. The LF polypeptide moiety, including, for example, an LFn polypeptide moiety, serves as a transport factor to deliver target antigens, including full length target polypeptides, to the cytosol of an intact, living immune cell from an individual. Measurement of a cytokine response by the immune cell from the individual provides a read out of a cell mediated immune response. The methods and compositions described provide diagnostic as well as prognostic information and can guide the direction of therapy.
US09244059B2 Cytotoxic anti-LAG-3 monoclonal antibody and its use in the treatment or prevention of organ transplant rejection and autoimmune disease
Cytotoxic anti-LAG-3 monoclonal antibodies or fragments thereof causing depletion of LAG-3+ activated T cells are described, as are related pharmaceuticals and methods of treating. Also described are related nucleic acid and protein sequences.
US09244055B2 Measuring device
The present invention includes: a main body which defines a storage space in the lengthwise direction, and in which a plurality of biosensors can be stacked; a cover member covering one end of the storage space and including a discharge hole through which only one biosensor located at the outermost edge of the stacked biosensors can pass; and a cover coupled to the cover member in order to be raised and lowered so as to open and close the discharge hole. The discharge hole is closed such that the biosensors stacked in the storage space are not contaminated and the infiltration of impurities into the storage space is prevented, and the discharge hole is temporarily opened when the biosensors are to be used in order to withdraw the biosensors.
US09244051B2 Detection of hydrocarbons in aqueous environments
A process for a pre-concentration unit including: a sorbent material coated passage-way having an entrance for receiving a hydrocarbon-containing groundwater sample and for pre-concentrating the hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon-containing groundwater sample by successive sorption/desorption cycles, and having an exit for discharging the pre-concentrated hydrocarbons; a heating unit for heating the sorbent material coated passage-way; and; an array of shear horizontal-surface acoustic wave sensors with coatings adapted for detecting and quantifying the pre-concentrated hydrocarbons, disposed at the exit of the sorbent material coated passage-way; and a housing for enclosing the pre-concentration unit and the array of shear horizontal-surface acoustic wave sensors, adapted for continuous use at a body of hydrocarbon-containing groundwater, and coupled to mathematical methods for generating concentrations of specific analytes from both transient and steady-state signals.
US09244050B2 Methods and devices for testing water
Methods and systems for testing fluid samples include a diffused air flotation (DAF) system and a jar. The jar includes a diffuser for injecting the diffused air into the jar and a tap for drawing a fluid out of the jar.
US09244047B2 Method for continuous gas analysis
A method for gas analysis can include continuously diverting a portion of drilling fluid into a sample chamber from a drilling fluid stream, creating a bidirectional drilling fluid circulation to liberate gas from the drilling fluid, applying a suction to a gas capturing chamber, and allowing a sample of the liberated fluid to continuously flow through the gas capturing chamber, continuously be filtered, and continuously flow into a gas analyzer. The method can include maintaining the sample chamber in an open configuration or decompressing the gas capturing chamber by closing off one or more sample inlets and sample outlets and exhausting portions of the liberated fluid that do not flow to the gas analyzer. The method can include simultaneously providing analysis data to client devices.
US09244045B2 Systems and methods for identifying classes of substances
In one embodiment, a system and a method for identifying the class of a component of a mixture includes collecting samples from a sample source, determining a summed ion spectrum for each sample and generating sample data from the summed ion spectra, comparing the sample data with reference summed ion spectra of multiple reference substances to determine correlations between the reference substances and the sample data, and evaluating the correlations of the substances of each substance class to determine which substance class most closely correlates to the sample data.
US09244044B2 Method for a gas chromatograph to mass spectrometer interface
A method of operating a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) comprising a GC column for separating analytes of a sample, a GC oven and a mass spectrometer comprises: providing a conduit extending between the GC oven and the mass spectrometer such that a conduit interior volume is contiguous with an interior volume of the GC oven; routing the GC column through the GC oven and conduit interior volume to an ion source of the mass spectrometer; providing a flow of temperature regulated air or gas between a fan or blower of the gas chromatograph and the conduit interior volume; introducing the sample into the GC column; controlling the temperature of the GC oven interior volume and the conduit interior volume so as to facilitate analyte separation within the GC column and transfer of the separated analytes to the mass spectrometer; and analyzing the separated analytes with the mass spectrometer.
US09244042B2 Vibration condition monitoring system and methods
In one embodiment, a diagnostics system is provided. The diagnostics system include a detection system configured to capture acoustic information and contextual information related to a machine component defect. A computing system is coupled to a processor configured to receive the acoustic information and the contextual information from the detection system, select one or more algorithms based at least in part on the contextual information, and retrieve and execute the one or more algorithms to extract one or more characteristic features of the acoustic information. The processor is further configured to generate an acoustic fingerprint based at least in part on the one or more characteristic features of the acoustic information, such that the one or more characteristic features correspond to the machine component defect.
US09244039B2 Nanopore device wetting
A method for wetting a nanopore device includes filling a first cavity of the nanopore device with a first buffer solution having a first potential hydrogen (pH) value, filling a second cavity of the nanopore device with a second buffer solution having a second pH value, wherein the nanopore device includes a transistor portion having a first surface, an opposing second surface, and an orifice communicative with the first surface and the second surface, the first surface partially defining the first cavity, the second surface partially defining the second cavity, applying a voltage in the nanopore device, and measuring a current in the nanopore device, the current having a current path partially defined by the first cavity, the second cavity, and the orifice.
US09244038B2 Nanopore device wetting
A method for wetting a nanopore device includes filling a first cavity of the nanopore device with a first buffer solution having a first potential hydrogen (pH) value, filling a second cavity of the nanopore device with a second buffer solution having a second pH value, applying a voltage in the nanopore device, and measuring a current in the nanopore device, the current having a current path partially defined by the first cavity, the second cavity, and an orifice communicative with the first cavity and the second cavity.
US09244037B2 Method for measuring hematocrit value of blood sample, method for measuring concentration of analyte in blood sample, sensor chip and sensor unit
Provided is a sensor chip for electrochemically measuring a concentration of an analyte in a blood sample. In one embodiment of the sensor, the sensor chip includes a substrate, and a preliminary measurement analyzer and a hematocrit value analyzer disposed on the substrate. The preliminary measurement analyzer includes a preliminary working electrode and a preliminary counter electrode. The hematocrit value analyzer includes a working electrode and a counter electrode. An oxidant of a redox substance is disposed on the preliminary measurement analyzer and the counter electrode. A reductant of a redox substance is disposed on the working electrode.
US09244032B2 Gas detecting apparatus and gas detecting method
A gas detecting apparatus including: a heating resistor exposed to a detected atmosphere, and a control circuit for controlling the heating resistor at two different temperatures, wherein each output voltage from the heating resistor corresponding to the different temperatures is detected when the heating resistor is controlled to the different temperatures, and a state of a gas is obtained based on the detected output voltage. For example, two different offset voltages are set, each potential difference obtained by subtracting each of the offset voltages from corresponding detected output voltages is amplified and the state of the gas is obtained using the amplified potential differences.
US09244031B2 Gas sensor
A gas sensor on a semiconductor substrate. The gas sensor includes an elongate sensor element extending across an opening and has first and second opposed surfaces exposed for contact with a gas to be sensed. The first surface faces away from a major surface of the substrate. The second surface faces toward said major surface. The electrical conductivity of the elongate sensor element is sensitive to a composition and/or concentration of said gas to which the opposed first and second surfaces are exposable. The gas sensor further includes a support structure arranged to increase the mechanical robustness of the gas sensor by supporting the elongate sensor element in the opening.
US09244028B2 Electron excited x-ray fluorescence device
A device for providing for electron excited x-ray fluorescence may include means for driving two contacting surfaces against each other in a low fluid pressure environment, such that high energy electrons strike a sample under test and provide for x-ray fluorescence of the sample. The sample under test may be in or on a sample holder, whose position with respect to the contacting surfaces is adjustable. For example, the sample holder may be positionable to be a different distances from the contacting surfaces.
US09244020B2 Method and device for detecting defects in material distribution in transparent containers
An inspection process for detecting defects of thin type, on transparent containers for a series of inspection points distributed over an inspection region superposed according to a determined height of the container taken according to central axis thereof, and according to the circumference of the container comprising: sending a light beam so as to recover on a light sensor the reflected beams by the internal and external faces of the wall of the container, measuring at each inspection point the thickness of the wall as a function of separation at the level of the light sensor between the reflected beams by the internal and external faces, processing the thickness measurements by analyzing their distribution over the inspection region to extract therefrom geometric characteristics, and comparing these geometric characteristics to reference values to determine if the container has a material distribution defect.
US09244019B2 Method for measuring defects in a silicon substrate by applying a heat treatment which consolidates and enlarges the defects
A method for measuring defects in a silicon substrate obtained by silicon ingot pulling, wherein the defects have a size of less than 20 nm. The method includes applying a first defect consolidation heat treatment to the substrate at a temperature of between 750° C. and 850° C. for a time period of between 30 minutes and 1 hour to consolidate the defects; applying a second defect enlargement heat treatment to the substrate at a temperature of between 900° C. and 1000° C. for a time period of between 1 hour and 10 hour hours to enlarge the defects to a size of greater than or equal to 20 nm, with the enlarged defects containing oxygen precipitates; measuring size and density of the enlarged defects in a surface layer of the substrate; and calculating the initial size of the defects on the basis of the measurements of the enlarged defects.
US09244016B2 Peroxide indicator
An indicator for detecting peroxide can detect the peroxide through change of hue thereof by reacting the peroxide according to a predefined concentration and a predefined sterilization treatment condition thereof. The indicator has better resistance against weather or light and preservation stability than those of prior indicators including inorganic compounds or organic compounds as discoloration components, can clearly change an arbitrary hue thereof under suitable discoloration rate, and has visible distinguishability. The indicator for detecting peroxide includes powdery metal sulfide, that undergoes discoloration by reacting with the peroxide. In particular a discoloration layer including the metal sulfide is applied onto at least a portion of a base substrate.
US09244014B2 Multi-channel fluorescence detecting module and nucleic acid analysis system having the same
Provided are a multi-channel fluorescence detecting module and a nucleic acid analysis system including the multi-channel fluorescence detecting module. The nucleic acid analysis system includes: a plurality of loaders configured to accommodate a plurality of cartridges respectively, the cartridges comprising microfluidic devices; a transfer module including a linear actuator, the linear actuator including a movable unit configured to move linearly; and a fluorescence detecting module fixed to the movable unit, the fluorescence detecting module being configured to emit excitation light to the cartridges and detect fluorescence emitted from samples on the cartridges. The loaders are arranged in a row in a linearly moving direction of the movable unit.
US09244012B2 Enhanced luminescence from nanopolished surfaces and plate wells
The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a new silver coating/nanoparticle scaffold that significantly enhances the luminescence of near-field fluorophores via the metal enhanced fluorescence phenomenon. The silver coating/nanoparticle scaffold can be used for numerous applications in metal-enhanced fluorescence.
US09244007B2 Apparatus and method for measuring degree of cure of adhesive agent
A degree of cure measuring apparatus has: a second optical fiber for emitting light from a tip face thereof; a probe for holding adhesive agent and irradiating the adhesive agent with light while the adhesive agent is in contact with the tip face of the second optical fiber; a detector for detecting light that is reflected from an interface between the tip face of the second optical fiber and the adhesive agent and then returns to the second optical fiber; and a computer for calculating the refractive index of the adhesive agent from the rate of the light amount of the light detected by the detector to the emission light amount from the tip face of the second optical fiber.
US09244005B2 Ultrasensitive detection of isotopes, chemical substances and biological substances using laser wave mixing detectors
Devices and techniques for using four wave mixing in optical sensing of various materials, including isotopes, chemical and biological substances.
US09244004B2 Method and system for inspection of composite assemblies using terahertz radiation
The present invention relates to a method for non-destructive, contact or non-contact inspection of composite assemblies using radiation having a frequency in the terahertz range (10 GHz-10 THz) of the spectrum, whereby said method is implemented as an embodiment of the system for non-destructive, contact or non-contact inspection of composite assemblies using terahertz radiation, that is also claimed under the present invention. Said method enables the forming of a two or three-dimensional image of the material structure of an assembly of composite materials, from which image detection and analysis of material conditions of the composite materials forming said composite assemblies is possible, irrespective of the way that the composite materials forming said composite assemblies were joined together, and without the need for a priori knowledge about the structural characteristics, shape or configuration of said composite materials (for instance layered, foam, placed on metal substrate).
US09243997B2 Lateral flow assay systems and methods
In one aspect, a diagnostic test system includes a housing, a reader, and a data analyzer. The housing includes a port for receiving a test strip. The reader obtains separable light intensity measurements from localized regions of an area of the detection zone exposed for optical inspection, wherein each of the localized regions is characterized by at least one surface dimension smaller than the first dimension. The data analyzer identifies ones of the light intensity measurements obtained from the at least one test region and computes at least one parameter from the identified ones of the light intensity measurements. In another aspect, the reader obtains a respective set of light intensity measurements from each of multiple corresponding regions of the exposed surface area of the detection zone, and the data analyzer computes at least one parameter from at least one of the sets of light intensity measurements.
US09243995B2 Multi-gain adaptive linear processing and gated digital system for use in flow cytometry
Disclosed is an electronic processing system for a flow cytometer that uses a processing chip that processes data in a parallel architecture on a sample by sample basis and provides for high throughput of data. In addition, multi-gain linear amplifiers are used which are matched using feedback circuits to provide accurate data and high resolution data having high dynamic range.
US09243993B2 Sample analyzer and sample analyzing method
A sample analyzer capable of operating in a first measuring mode for measuring a sample and a second measuring mode for measuring a sample, comprising: a sample provider for providing a sample; a common reagent provider for providing a common reagent used in the first measuring mode and the second measuring mode; a special reagent provider for providing a special reagent used in the second measuring mode; a mode selector for selecting one of the first measuring mode and the second measuring mode; a measuring section for measuring the sample; and wherein in the first measuring mode, the sample provider and the common reagent provider operate so as to make a first mode sample comprising the sample and the common reagent, and the measuring section operates so as to measure the first mode sample, and in the second measuring mode, the sample provider, the common reagent provider and the special reagent provider operate so as to make a second mode sample comprising the sample, the common reagent and the special reagent, and the measuring section operates so as to measure the second mode sample, is disclosed. A sample analyzing method is also disclosed.
US09243988B2 System and method for monitoring bubble formation within a reactor
Bubble formation is monitored in a reactor such as a loop polymerization reactor which effectively operates at pressures above or near the vapor pressure of a circulating slurry liquid. The method measures a property of the reactor composition at a first location within the reactor, and then at a second location within the reactor. The process is repeated, followed by determining if the difference in measured property varies from a reference difference, derived under bubble-free conditions. When the difference in measured physical property has changed relative to the reference difference, an effect may be implemented, e.g., increase of reactor pressure, decrease of composition vapor pressure, and decrease of reactor temperature, to an extent sufficient to reduce or eliminate bubbling.
US09243987B2 Method of determining fabric type of a laundry load in a laundry treating appliance
A method of determining a fabric type for a laundry load can include comparing the density of the laundry load in a first wetted state, which may be a dry state or a partially saturated state, to the density of the laundry load in a second wetted state, which may be a partially saturated, fully saturated, or beyond fully saturated state, and determining a fabric type based on the comparison.
US09243982B2 Measuring apparatus and measuring method of train wheel wear
Provided is a measuring apparatus and method of train wheel wear, the apparatus including a speed measuring unit measuring speed of a train, a position measuring unit measuring a position of the train, and a calculation unit calculating abrasiveness of a train wheel on a train based on the measured speed and position of the train, whereby status of the train wheel can be accurately learned to minimize the number of devices that may be additionally installed, and to quickly measure abrasiveness of the train wheel as well.
US09243979B2 System and method for adjustment response analysis
The present disclosure relates to a method to determine, from a measured result and an assumed adjustment set, the probability that a permutation to the assumed adjustment set was implemented or other error, such as a sensor error, is occurring. The determination of probability of a permutation of the adjustment set may be based on the error between the predicted response and the measured actual response for the assumed adjustment set and permutations of the assumed adjustment set. A number of statistical comparisons may be performed between the assumed adjustment set and the permutation sets to determine which are closer to the measured actual response. A probability value may be assigned to each adjustment set as to the likelihood of their having been implemented.
US09243978B2 Misfire detection apparatus and misfire detection method for an internal combustion engine
Provided are a misfire detection apparatus and a misfire detection method for an internal combustion engine, which are capable of correctly detecting a misfire state of an engine for a vehicle small in number of cylinders and in rotational inertia without limiting control to O2 feedback control. When an air/fuel ratio of an exhaust gas exhausted from a cylinder that is a misfire determination subject is in a lean state, and when lean control is not being carried out on the internal combustion engine, enrichment processing for the air/fuel ratio is carried out. When the air/fuel ratio remains in the lean state even though the enrichment processing is carried out, it is determined that misfire occurs in the cylinder that is a misfire determination subject.
US09243974B2 Optical fiber fault locator
A device includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory operable to perform operations. The operations include determining a first estimated distance associated with a first location of an optical fiber based on first light detected by a sensor, where the first light is detected at a first time when a portion of the optical fiber has a first configuration, and determining a second estimated distance associated with a second location of the optical fiber based on second light detected by the sensor, where the second light is detected at a second time when the portion of the optical fiber has a second configuration. The operations further include determining a third estimated distance associated with a third location of the optical fiber based on the first estimated distance and the second estimated distance, where the third location is associated with a fault in the optical fiber.
US09243973B2 Method, apparatus and system for minimally intrusive fiber identification
A method, apparatus and system for minimally intrusive fiber identification includes imparting a time-varying modulation onto an optical signal propagating in an optical fiber and subsequently detecting the presence of the time-varying modulation in the optical signal transmitting through the fiber to identify the fiber. In a specific embodiment of the invention, a time-varying curvature is imposed on the fiber to be identified and the presence of the resultant time variation in the transmitted power of a propagating optical signal is subsequently detected for identification of the manipulated fiber.
US09243970B2 Method and system for integrating gas turbine trim balancing system into electronic engine controls
Methods and systems for determining a rebalancing strategy for trim balancing one or more rotational components of a gas turbine. One or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals may be received at a control device of an aircraft comprising the gas turbine engine while the aircraft is in operation. The one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals may be used for determining a rebalancing strategy for one or more unbalanced rotational components.
US09243968B2 Method for measuring pressures in a high pressure cell by monitoring continuous changes in physical properties of GeO2-SiO2 solid solution
A method for the measurement of pressure in high temperature and high pressure processes includes the steps of providing at least a first material compound and at least a second material compound. The at least first and second compounds are mixed to form a material sample. The material sample is loaded into a device and the device and material sample are subjected to a high pressure of up to about 10 GPa and a high temperature of up to about 2000° C. to form the material sample into a solid crystalline solution. The material sample is recovered for analysis and the composition of the crystalline solid solution is measured to determine the pressure ex situ.
US09243966B2 Pressure sensor for anthropomorphic dummies
The present invention relates to a pressure sensor for measuring the pressures experienced by an anthropomorphic dummy in an abdominal or thoracic section of the trunk of said dummy. This sensor comprises at least two fluid-tight flexible pressure-measurement chambers (4) arranged in the abdominal or thoracic section of the trunk of said dummy on each side of a sagittal median plane of said abdominal or thoracic section, said pressure-measurement chambers (4) being filled with an incompressible fluid and each comprising at least one pressure-measurement cell (5) able at output thereof to deliver an electric signal indicative of the pressure of said fluid in said pressure-measurement chambers.
US09243958B2 Immersion type sensor for measuring temperature
A device for measuring the temperature of molten metal irrespective of the nature of the metal, particularly, an immersion/contact type temperature sensing device involving optical fiber which can be universally used for different materials and would be adapted for safe and repetitive immersion in molten metal for measurement of molten metal temperatures and the like. The proposed immersion/contact type temperature sensing device involves combination two-color and multi-color pyrometric detection technique is capable of cost effective and discrete-time temperature measurement of molten metal. The advancement is thus directed to serve as a ready and fast accurate measurement of molten metal temperature and the like.
US09243951B2 Photoelectric sensor and method for controlling amplification of received light intensity in photoelectric sensor
A photoelectric sensor amplifies a received light intensity signal generated through light projection processing and light receiving processing, and performs detection processing using the amplified received light intensity signal. The photoelectric sensor is provided with a variable resistor that generates an adjustment command signal that changes linearly with respect to sensitivity adjustment manipulations performed by a user. Further, the sensor is provided with an amplifier including a variable gain amplifier configured such that the aforementioned adjustment command signal is inputted thereto. Further, the variable gain amplifier is adapted to convert the signal into a gain control signal that changes exponentially with respect to sensitivity adjustment manipulations and, further, is adapted to perform amplification processing using a gain according to the gain control signal.
US09243947B2 Drain pan level monitoring system
A drain pan level monitoring system of an air conditioning system comprises a level sensor that generates a level sensor output signal related to a sensed level of condensation buildup within a drain pan. A method of monitoring a liquid level buildup in a drain pan of an air handling unit comprises determining a level of liquid buildup in the drain pan and determining whether an action should be taken in response to the determined level of liquid buildup by comparing the determined level of liquid buildup to a predetermined value. A method of preventing liquid overflow of a drain pan of an air handling unit comprises monitoring a pressure related to a liquid level buildup within the drain pan and taking an action when the pressure meets a predetermined criteria.
US09243945B2 Device for measuring a quantity of a reducing agent, preferably NH3, contained in a vessel
The invention relates to a device for measuring a quantity of a reducing agent, preferably NH3, contained in a vessel (10; 110; 210) containing a storage material (11; 111; 211) in which the reducing agent is stored, the volume of the storage material (11; 111; 211) varying depending on the quantity of reducing agent which it contains. The measuring device comprises means (13, 14, 14′; 113, 114; 213, 214) associated with the vessel (10; 110; 210), said means being suitable for measuring the quantity of reducing agent stored in the storage material (11; 111; 211) depending on the volume of the latter.
US09243944B2 Adjustable underground meter installation
A pit liner includes an upper section, a lower section, at least one pin wherein each pin is connected to one of the upper section and the lower section, and at least one notch defined in at least one of the upper section and the lower section the lower section and the upper section sized to adjust with respect to each other.
US09243943B2 Air-flow sensor for adapter slots in a data processing system
An air-flow sensor is configured to be positioned in an air-flow and attached to a surface in a manner that allows air to flow over an extremity of the sensor. The air-flow sensor includes a base plate, a first heater, a first temperature sensor, a spacer, a second heater, a second temperature sensor, and a cap. The base plate is configured to be the coupled to the surface. The first heater is positioned on the base plate and is configured to heat the base plate. The first temperature sensor is positioned to measure a first temperature of the first heater. The spacer is positioned on the first heater and the second heater is positioned on the spacer. The second temperature sensor is positioned to measure a second temperature of the second heater. The cap is positioned on the second heater, which is configured to heat the cap.
US09243937B2 Gauge having variable display
A gauge which uses a prism or other type of reflector to illuminate a single graphic or icon on a dial such that only one graphic on the dial is shown during the operation of the gauge. All of the remaining graphics have a dead front appearance, and cannot be viewed, such that the gauge presents only one discrete value at a time. The dial is beneath a lens, and the prism is beneath the dial. An actuator is mounted to a PCB, and an LED is also mounted to the PCB to allow the prism to transmit light to the desired area of the dial. The dial also includes a central graphic, or icon, and the gauge is able to display different values, while the central graphic remains constantly illuminated in the center of the gauge.
US09243933B2 Amplitude evaluation by means of a goertzel algorithm in a differential transformer displacement sensor
Displacement sensor arrangement including at least one primary coil, at least a first and a second secondary coil and at least one magnetically soft coupling element, which magnetically couples the primary coil and the two secondary coils, the displacement sensor being designed so that a position and/or deflection depending on the magnetic coupling between the primary coil and at least the first and second secondary coil is detected, the displacement sensor arrangement having a signal processing unit, which is designed to perform digital signal processing of at least one electrical variable of the two secondary coils and determine the position and/or deflection, the signal processing unit having at least one Goertzel filter.
US09243932B2 Measuring device for measuring a precess variable in industrial measurements and control technology
A measuring device, comprising: an input circuit having a supply line and a return line. Energy supply occurs over a line-pair. Input voltage is applied to the measuring device via the line pair. A series regulator for controlling an electrical current flowing via the line-pair, a shunt regulator installed in a parallel branch, and an apparatus for controlling a voltage drop across the series regulator are provided.
US09243930B2 Vehicle-based automatic traffic conflict and collision avoidance
Systems and methods for providing vehicle-centric collision avoidance are disclosed. An example method includes determining a first flight trajectory for a first aircraft, determining a second flight trajectory for a second aircraft, predicting a distance between the first aircraft and the second aircraft at a predicted closest point of approach based on the first and second flight trajectories, comparing the distance to a separation perimeter layer, the separation perimeter layer configured to provide a minimum separation distance from the first aircraft to the second aircraft, and altering the first flight trajectory when the distance breaches the separation perimeter layer.
US09243925B2 Generating a sequence of lane-specific driving directions
Lane-specific driving directions are generated using route data that describes a route between an origin and a destination as a sequence of route segments, and lane data for at least several route segments included in the sequence of route segments. The sequence of route segments includes a pair of adjacent multi-lane route segments that includes a first multi-lane route segment more proximate to the destination and a second multi-lane route segment more proximate to the origin, connected at a road junction. To determine a recommended lane connection at the road junction, a lane in the first multi-lane route segment is selected, and a lane in the second multi-lane route segment is selected based on the lane selected in the first multi-lane segment.
US09243924B2 Providing navigation instructions while device is in locked mode
A method of providing navigation instructions in a locked mode of a device is disclosed. The method, while the display screen of the device is turned off, determines that the device is near a navigation point. The method turns on the display screen and provides navigation instructions. In some embodiments, the method identifies the ambient light level around the device and turns on the display at brightness level determined by the identified ambient light level. The method turns off the display after the navigation point is passed.
US09243922B2 Weather avoidance tool system
A method of providing a simplified practice for dealing with aviation turbulence and other weather hazards that allows the end users to better communicate turbulence as a state of the atmosphere metric and the additional weather threats affecting the flight is described. The method provides an Atmospheric State Index (ASI) that allows all the users to work with a standardized metric that describes the turbulence as the state of the atmosphere and a similar scale for other weather risks to the flight. This system makes the correlation between the forecast and aircraft reports for turbulence easier to interpret for the end users. This approach concentrates on turbulence as a weather hazard with a more objective and easier to use metric. This configuration provides a transition for moving from a system based on turbulence Pilot Reports (PIREPS) to a more objective data driven process in the air traffic environment.
US09243920B2 System and method for adapting the routing information provided by a mapping or routing device
A system and method for adapting the routing information provided by a mapping or routing device. In accordance with an embodiment, the system comprises a data collection component (e.g., one or more GPS, accelerometer, or other means of determining location and/or movement), and a route calculation logic that can use information about a first geographical location (origin), and a second geographical location (destination), to calculate a routing information, such as driving directions that a user can follow to drive from the origin to the destination. An information filtering application adapts the amount of information that will be presented to the user at a particular location, moment in time, or based on other criteria. In accordance with an embodiment, the information filtering application can, in some instances, be provided as a third-party application.
US09243919B2 Navigation server, navigation device, and navigation system
Provided is a navigation system and the like capable of improving the utility value of the navigation route in response to a current request in consideration of a user position. In the navigation system of the present invention, when a current request Req(i)(i>1) including a current destination position p2(i) that is the same as a previous destination position p2(i−1), is made from a navigation device 200, a current support route R(i) is searched which has a location point p1(i) that is on a previous support route R(i−1) and distant from the user position p0(i) by a designated distance or more included in the request Req(i), as a starting point.
US09243914B2 Correction of navigation position estimate based on the geometry of passively measured and estimated bearings to near earth objects (NEOS)
Passively measured NEO bearings are used to augment an existing navigation system on-board the platform to correct the position estimate generated by the navigation system. The technology provides only a position correction based on passive NEO sightings but is applicable to a wide variety of platforms with different maneuvering profiles and update requirements. The technology directly calculates a position error based on the current position estimate and the passively measured and estimated bearings to three or more NEOs and provides the position error to the navigation system as a correction to the position estimate. The estimated bearings are computed from the current position estimate and the known orbits of the NEOs. The position error may be calculated from a single observation of multiple NEOs, allowing for frequent updates as needed and placing no restriction on platform maneuverability.
US09243912B2 Mobile device and server for GPS based task assignments
Mobile device for communicating arrival information at a waypoint, communicating that information to a server, receiving a set of tasks (statically assigned or dynamically assigned) for the user (for example, from the server or from another user), displaying the set of tasks to the user, receiving a completion response (successful or unsuccessful) from the user, and proceeding to the next waypoint along a route/trip plan. A coordination server facilitates communication of a list of tasks assigned to a user to be performed at a specified location. The list of tasks is delivered to the user of the first mobile device by the coordination server (if such tasks exist) when the coordination server receives notification from the first mobile device indicating arrival at a specific location.
US09243911B2 Meeting notification and modification service
Techniques are described for providing a meeting notification and automatic modification service. A system may be configured to identify an appointment in a calendar application, identify a geographic location of the appointment, and identify, before the appointment time, a geographic location of a first participant of the appointment. Based on the geographic information, the system may identify a route extending from the geographic location of the first participant to the geographic location of the appointment, and may identify a travel time associated with the route. Based on the travel time and the appointment time, the system may determine whether the first participant is estimated to arrive at the appointment on time and, based on the determination, the system may send a message to participants of the appointment or dynamically reschedule the appointment.
US09243909B2 Module and electronic apparatus
A module includes a sensor device, a mounting substrate that has a plurality of mounting faces, a portion between the mounting faces adjacent to each other being foldable, a supporting member having fixing faces, wherein the sensor device is mounted on at least one of the mounting faces, each of the mounting faces is disposed along each of the fixing faces, and the sensor device is disposed on the supporting member side.
US09243906B1 Automated barometric pressure setting system and related method
A system and related method is disclosed for automated setting of a barometric altimeter onboard an aircraft. The system may receive inputs from a plurality of integrated systems and, based on those inputs, automatically set the barometric altimeter to the proper setting for safe operation of the aircraft. Recognition of a voice command from an onboard operator as well as from an offboard source, and parsing of received METAR reports coupled with positioning information may form the basis of the integrated inputs. Once the barometric altimeter is automatically set, the system notifies the crewmember of the new barometric altimeter setting.
US09243905B2 Distance-measuring sensor and method for synchronizing measurement value generation and measurement value output
A sensor (10) for determining a distance of an object (18), the sensor (10) transmitting a plurality of transmission pulses via a transmitter (12), accumulating reflected reception pulses (102) in a histogram (110), and determining therefrom a time of flight to the object (18). The sensor (10) has a control (24) for processing and outputting measurement values. Measuring unit (22) and control (24) are mutually connected to pass measurement values and to set a timing for the control (24) via a clocked synchronizing signal in that the control (24) executes a control cycle each time when receiving the synchronizing signal. An output rate of measurement values is programmable by the measuring unit (22) setting a smallest base clock and passing an updated measurement value to the control (24) after a multiple of the base clock corresponding to the programmed output rate.
US09243904B2 Proximity sensor and proximity sensing method using light quantity of reflection light
A proximity sensor and proximity sensing method using a change in light quantity of a reflected light are disclosed. The proximity sensor may include a quantity change detection unit which detects a change in a quantity of reflected light which is output light which has been reflected by an object, where an intensity of the output light changes, and a proximity determination unit which determines a proximity of the object to the quantity change detection unit based on a change in the intensity of the output light and the detected change in the quantity of the reflected light.
US09243899B2 Method of measuring a height of 3-dimensional shape measurement apparatus
A method of measuring a height of 3-dimensional shape measurement apparatus includes irradiating a first grid pattern light from a plurality of first lighting devices and a second grid pattern light from a plurality of second lighting devices which are alternatively arranged to the first lighting devices toward a target object wherein the first grid pattern light has a first equivalent wavelength and the second grid pattern light has a second equivalent wavelength that is different from the first equivalent wavelength, and obtaining a first pattern image corresponding to the first grid pattern light and a second pattern image corresponding to the second grid pattern light, generating combined pattern images by combining the first and second pattern images obtained from the first and second lighting devices adjacent to each other among the plurality of first and second lighting devices, calculating heights of the target object according to a combined equivalent wavelength of the combined pattern images, and determining a representative height of the target object by using the calculated heights of the target object. And therefore, it is possible to measure a height of a target object which exceeds an available height of measurement by each of the first and second lighting devices, as well as, more accurate and reliable height may be obtained.
US09243896B2 Two axis encoder head assembly
A measurement system for measuring the position of a work piece (28) includes a stage grating (234) and an encoder head (236). A first measurement beam (38A) is directed at the stage grating (234) at a first angle, the first measurement beam (38A) being at a first wavelength. A second measurement beam (38B) is directed at the stage grating (234) at a second angle that is different than the first angle, the second measurement beam (38B) being at a second wavelength that is different than the first wavelength. At least a portion of the first measurement beam (38A) and at least a portion of the second measurement beam (38B) are interfered with one another to create a measurement signal along a signal axis.
US09243895B2 Remote displacement sensor, including an optical strain gauge, an assembly and system therewith
The disclosure relates to a remote displacement sensor, such as an optical strain gauge, which uses an optical amplifier implemented by patterns, such as, moiré patterns, to calculate changes in position. In a strain gauge with moiré patterns, two foil layers are provided, a lower foil layer with a reference or static moiré pattern generated by the overlaying of a first pattern with parallel lines at a first fundamental frequency and a second pattern with parallel lines at a second fundamental frequency. The lower foil layer further includes a first section with a first pattern with parallel lines at the first fundamental frequency while the upper layer provides a second section with a second pattern with parallel lines at the second fundamental frequency. The overlaying of the foils causes an overlying of the first and second sections thereby causing a moiré pattern of the same wavelength as the reference pattern.
US09243892B2 Particle analytical device
A particle analytical device comprises a light receiving part that receives the scattered light emitted from the particle group and that outputs an electric current signal, a data processing part that processes data based on time series data of a number of pulses obtained by the electric current signal, and a control part that halts a movement of the light receiving part in case that the overcurrent is detected based on the electric current signal and that restarts the movement of the light receiving part after a predetermined time passes and is characterized by that the data processing part holds the time series data until the light receiving part is halted and processes the data after the movement of the light receiving part is restarted by the use of the held time series data and the time series data obtained after the restart.
US09243890B2 Video overlay systems
A system may include computing equipment and a handheld video overlay accessory. A video overlay accessory may include one or more light sources, an image sensor, and processing circuitry. The video overlay accessory may include an image projector that projects images onto external objects. The video overlay accessory may include a partially transparent beam splitter and a display that projects display content onto the partially transparent beam splitter. A user that views a scene through the partially transparent beam splitter may view the display content apparently overlaid onto the scene. Light sources in the video overlay accessory may be laser diodes or other light-emitting diodes that project tracking spots such as infrared tracking spots on to external objects. The image sensor may be used to capture images of the tracking spots. The processing circuitry may determine distance and position information based on the captured images.
US09243888B2 Image mapped optical coherence tomography
A method for imaging a sample. The method includes, during a single acquisition event, receiving depth-encoded electromagnetic (EM) fields from points on a sample that includes a first depth-encoded EM field for a first point and a second depth-encoded EM field for a second point, and redirecting the first depth-encoded EM field along a first predetermined direction to a first location on a dispersing re-imager and the second depthencoded EM field along a second pre-determined direction to a second location on the dispersing re-imager. The method further includes spectrally dispersing the first depthencoded EM field to obtain a first spectrum, re-imaging the first spectrum onto a first location on a detector, spectrally dispersing the second depth-encoded EM field to obtain a second spectrum, re-imaging the second spectrum onto a second location on the detector, and detecting the first re-imaged spectrum and the second re-imaged spectrum.
US09243885B2 Multi-speed OCT swept source with optimized k-clock
An optical coherence tomography system utilizes an optical swept source that frequency scans at least two different sweep rates. In this way, the system can perform large depth scans of the sample and then the same system can perform shorter depth high precision scans, in one specific example. In order to optimally use the analog to digital converter that samples the interference signal, the system further samples the interference signals at different optical frequency sampling intervals depending upon the selected sweep rates of the optical swept source. This allows the system to adapt to different sweep rates in an optimal fashion.
US09243879B2 Method of underground rock blasting
A method of blasting rock at an underground blast site in which boreholes (11a, b, c) are drilled in a rock mass (10) from a drive defining face (12), each borehole is loaded with at least one charge of explosive material (13a-c, 14a-c, 15a-c), at least one detonator is placed in operative association with each charge, and a sequence of at least two initiation events is conducted to blast the rock mass, in each of which only some of the charges are initiated, by sending firing signals to only the detonators associated with said charges and in which each initiation event is a discrete user-controlled initiation event. In one of the at least two initiation events a stranded portion of the rock mass such as a pillar is created that has already been drilled and charged, and the stranded portion of the rock mass is blasted in a subsequent one or more of the at least two initiation events without personnel accessing said stranded portion. First explosive charges (13a, b, c and 15a, b, c) may be blasted in the one initiation event, leaving a pillar of stranded ore with the preloaded borehole (11b) extending through it. The detonators may be wireless.
US09243876B1 Low-collateral damage directed fragmentation munition
A directed munition has a non-fragmentation casing, and an explosive within the casing that is configured to propel fragments out an opening of the casing when the explosive is detonated. The casing may be made of a material that does not produce lethal or injurious fragments when the explosive is detonated. The explosive may include an insensitive explosive portion that creates the shape of an explosive front, and a secondary explosive containing a more energetic explosive, which is closer to the fragments than the insensitive explosive portion. There may be more of the insensitive explosive than the relatively energetic explosive. The munition may have a ring that is operatively coupled to the fragments, to aid in directing the fragments out of the casing opening in a desired direction. The ring may be made of a material that does not produce injurious fragments when the explosive is detonated.
US09243871B2 Personal load carrying release
Release of attachment assemblies. Attachment assemblies including releasing mechanism, a trigger; and cables in mechanical communication with the releasing mechanism and with the trigger for operation of each releasing mechanism having such mechanical communication.
US09243868B1 Reticle providing maximized danger space
A reticle for a projectile weapon aiming apparatus including a plurality of aiming marks, the plurality of aiming marks include a first mark positioned at the center of the reticle and at least one additional mark spaced below the first mark along a vertical center axis of the reticle, wherein adjacent marks of the first mark and the at least one additional mark are spaced apart by predetermined distances. First and second horizontal stripes are provided on each side of the plurality of aiming marks respectively, the first and second horizontal stripes offset relative to the vertical center axis with a gap provided therebetween and extending towards the perimeter of the reticle, the first and second horizontal stripes spaced a predetermined distance from a bottom of the reticle measured along the vertical center axis.
US09243864B2 Pneumatic speargun for spearfishing and method of use
A pneumatic speargun for spearfishing and a related method of loading and firing includes a cylinder having a head and a body with a hand grip, a slide guide for a spear, a reservoir for a pressurized fluid, and a barrel connected to the reservoir. A piston is slidingly mounted in the barrel for movement from an end loading positions, in which it is retained, to an end discharge position. A trigger releases the retaining system and causes the piston to move from the selected end loading position to the end discharge position. The piston in the loading position is removably connected to the spear via a cable and a return system and the spear becomes propelled as the piston moves from the end discharge position to the selected end loading position by pulling the cable.
US09243862B1 Arrow rest assembly with tangential supports
An arrow rest for supporting the shaft of an arrow includes a first support frame and a plurality of support members connected to the support frame for defining at least a portion of an opening with a central axis for receiving the shaft of an arrow. Each support member has a base portion connected to the first support frame that extends towards the shaft of an arrow, and a support portion that extends from the base portion for tangentially engaging the shaft of an arrow in a direction at least generally parallel to the central axis.
US09243861B1 Shooting bow with pulleys
A shooting bow includes pulleys, a string latch, bow riser, barrel, first limb, second limb, a first cam, and a second cam. The bow riser is enjoined with the barrel. The first and second limbs extend from the bow riser. The first and second cams are pivotally retained on the first and second limbs. A bowstring is retained by the first and second cams. A first pulley and a second pulley are retained on the barrel. Both cams have a string track and a cable track. One end of the string is coupled to the first cam and the other end is coupled to the second cam. As for both cables, one end is coupled to the first cam, the middle of the cable travels around a pulley or track, and the other end is coupled to the first limb, first cam axle or back to the cam.
US09243858B1 Cover assembly for a trigger guard
A cover assembly for a trigger guard is described having a housing, a catch member connected to the housing, a release assembly mounted to the housing, and a biometric sensor assembly at least partially mounted to the housing. The housing has a base, a first sidewall and a second sidewall extending upwardly from the base to define a trigger guard receiving space. At least the first sidewall has an opening extending therethrough. The catch member is moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The release assembly is operable to cause the catch member to move from the locked position to the unlocked position. The biometric sensor assembly is configured to validate a biometric input and cause the release assembly to move the catch member from the locked position to the unlocked position based on validation of the biometric input.
US09243848B2 Water heating system
A water heating system includes a burner assembly for providing a source of thermal energy to a heat exchanger. A water inlet conduit is coupled to the heat exchanger assembly for supplying fresh water to be heated, and a water exit conduit is coupled to the heat exchanger assembly for delivering the heated water to a point of use. A bypass conduit connects the water exit conduit to the water inlet conduit, and a pump disposed in the bypass conduit circulates at least a portion of the heated water from the water exit conduit to the water inlet conduit. A feed-forward sensor positioned in the water inlet conduit between the heat exchanger assembly and the bypass conduit monitors a parameter of the water entering the heat exchanger assembly, and a processor controls the operation of the of the burner assembly in response to the feed-forward sensor.
US09243844B2 Dryer appliance with an impeller assembly
A dryer appliance includes an impeller assembly. The impeller assembly is rotatable about an axis of rotation in order to urge a flow of air through a drum of the dryer appliance. The impeller assembly includes a base plate, a plurality of blades and a plurality of extensions. The size and position of the plurality of extensions can assist with urging the flow of air through the drum of the dryer appliance.
US09243841B2 Dispenser niche for a refrigerator
A dispenser niche for a refrigerator is provided. The dispenser niche includes an illuminator to at least partially illuminate the niche. The illuminator has LEDs that are arranged on a common circuit board with first electrical contacts. A wall of the dispenser niche has second electrical contacts and a recess that receives the common circuit board in a single orientation. The first electrical contacts of the common circuit board and the second electrical circuits of the wall touch each other in the single orientation.
US09243840B1 Refrigerator drawer with swivel support for removable bins
A storage assembly is provided for the storage and easy access of goods within a refrigerator cabinet. The refrigerator cabinet includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a back wall, and opposed side walls. The storage assembly comprises a drawer, a swivel mechanism, and at least one bin. The drawer is supported by the side walls of the cabinet and is configured to extend outwardly relative to the back wall of the cabinet. The swivel mechanism is attached to the drawer and comprises a support member that is rotatable relative to the drawer. The at least one bin slidably supported by the support member.
US09243836B2 Heat insulation door for a refrigerator having 3 dimensional shapes
A heat insulation door for a refrigerator able to realize 3 dimensional effects and with excellent heat insulation is presented.A heat insulation door for a refrigerator having 3 dimensional shapes in accordance with the present invention comprises, an outer panel forming an outer surface of a door for a refrigerator that has 3 dimensional shapes, a groove type vacuum heat insulation material located inside the outer surface and having at least one groove, and a foamed vacuum insulation material filled inside, and has excellent 3 dimensional effects superior to printing effects, and has advantages of being able to secure excellent heat insulation properties.
US09243835B2 Refrigerator
Disclosed herein is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a main body including inner liners defining a freezer compartment and refrigerator compartment, doors rotatably coupled to the main body, gaskets installed at rears of the doors, each of the gaskets having a magnet provided therein, an intermediate partition wall formed by filling a space between the inner liners with an insulation material, an intermediate front plate disposed at a front of the intermediate partition wall to fix the inner liners, and a heat pipe installed at the front of the intermediate partition wall in a line to prevent dew from being formed on the intermediate front plate, wherein the intermediate front plate is formed in an asymmetric fashion so that the heat pipe installed at the front of the intermediate partition wall is fixed to a middle portion of the intermediate front plate in a tight contact fashion.
US09243833B2 Ice making system for a refrigerator appliance and a method for determining an ice level within an ice bucket
An ice making system for a refrigerator appliance is provided. The ice making system includes an ice maker, an ice bucket and an ice cube level sensing assembly. The ice cube level sensing assembly includes an infrared light emitter and an infrared light receiver. The infrared light emitter directs infrared light into a storage volume of the ice bucket, and the infrared light receiver receives infrared light from the infrared light emitter reflected by ice cubes within the storage volume of the ice bucket.
US09243831B2 Heat exchanging system
In an air conditioning system, a compressor, a condenser, and an indoor unit that functions as an evaporator during cooling, are provided in a circulation pathway of a refrigerant, in respective order during cooling. An additional heat exchanger is provided in the circulation pathway at a point that during cooling is between the condenser and the indoor unit. The additional heat exchanger is contained within a tank of a cooling device. The cooling device performs cooling of the additional heat exchanger by supplying water into the tank. Quantity of water supplied into the tank is controlled through open/close control of a control valve.
US09243828B2 Method of measuring the refrigerant recovered and a refrigerant recovery and recharge device
A method of measuring weight of the refrigerant recovered and a device for refrigerant recovery and recharge device is disclosed. A connection is established between the refrigerant recovery path and refrigerant recharge path. Refrigerant is filled in the refrigerant recovery path and the refrigerant recharge path. Once the refrigerant occupies the all components of the refrigerant recovery and recharge device, weight of the refrigerant storage tank is measured. The weight of the refrigerant storage tank is measured once before the recovery of the refrigerant from the refrigeration equipment and once after recovery of the refrigerant from the refrigeration equipment. Difference in the weights measured before recovery and after recovery is calculated to a get the amount of refrigerant recovered.
US09243826B2 Refrigeration cycle using a refrigerant having negative saturated vapor pressure with condensation path backflow control and refrigeration cycle using a refrigerant having negative saturated vapor pressure with evaporation path load bypass
A refrigeration cycle apparatus (1A) includes: an evaporator (23) that retains a refrigerant liquid and that evaporates the refrigerant liquid therein; a condenser (22) that condenses a refrigerant vapor therein and that retains the refrigerant liquid; a vapor channel (2A) that is provided with a compressor (21) and that directs the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator (23) to the condenser (22); a liquid channel (2B) that directs the refrigerant liquid from the condenser (22) to the evaporator (23); a condensation-side circulation path (4) that allows the refrigerant liquid retained in the condenser (22) to circulate via a heat exchanger for heat release (41) and that is provided with a condensation-side pump (45) at a position upstream of the heat exchanger for heat release (41); and a back-flow path (7) that directs a portion of the refrigerant liquid flowing in a section downstream of the heat exchanger for heat release (41) in the condensation-side circulation path (4) to a section upstream of the condensation-side pump (41) in the condensation-side circulation path (4) or to a bottom of the condenser (22).
US09243825B2 Cooling apparatus and method
Cooling apparatus is provided which comprises a mechanical refrigerator and a heat pipe. The mechanical refrigerator has a first cooled stage and a second cooled stage, the second cooled stage being adapted to be coupled thermally with target apparatus to be cooled. The heat pipe has a first part coupled thermally to the first stage of the mechanical refrigerator and a second part coupled thermally to a cooled member which may comprise the second stage of the mechanical refrigerator. The heat pipe is adapted to contain a condensable gaseous coolant when in use. An example coolant is Krypton. The apparatus is operated in a first cooling mode in which the temperature of the cooled member causes the coolant within the second part of the heat pipe to be gaseous and the temperature of the first stage causes the coolant in the first part to condense, whereby the cooled member is cooled by the movement of the condensed liquid from the first part to the second part of the heat pipe. When the cooled member is the second stage of the mechanical refrigerator, the heat pipe provides heat between the higher and lower temperature cooled stages during cooling. An associated method of operating such apparatus is also described.
US09243823B2 Cooling system for high density heat load
A cooling system for transferring heat from a heat load to an environment has a volatile working fluid. The cooling system includes first and second cooling cycles that are thermally connected to the first cooling cycle. The first cooling cycle is not a vapor compression cycle and includes a pump, an air-to-fluid heat exchanger, and a fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger. The second cooling cycle can include a chilled water system for transferring heat from the fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger to the environment. Alternatively, the second cooling cycle can include a vapor compression system for transferring heat from the fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger to the environment.
US09243822B2 Cooling system for high density heat load
A cooling system for transferring heat from a heat load to an environment has a volatile working fluid. The cooling system includes first and second cooling cycles that are thermally connected to the first cooling cycle. The first cooling cycle is not a vapor compression cycle and includes a pump, an air-to-fluid heat exchanger, and a fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger. The second cooling cycle can include a chilled water system for transferring heat from the fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger to the environment. Alternatively, the second cooling cycle can include a vapor compression system for transferring heat from the fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger to the environment.
US09243821B2 Vehicle noise-proof cover
A vehicle noise-proof cover is provided which includes a thermoelectric element and which is capable of efficiently generating electric power. The vehicle noise-proof cover is placed so as to cover a driving force generating device of a vehicle. The vehicle noise-proof cover includes: a cover body having a noise absorption layer made of a foamed resin; a heat supply member having a heat collection portion that is placed on a back surface side of the cover body and directly or indirectly contacts the driving force generating device, a heat supply portion that is placed on a front surface side of the cover body, and a heat transfer portion that is connected to the heat collection portion and the heat supply portion and transfers heat from the heat collection portion to the heat supply portion.
US09243807B2 Oven appliance
An oven appliance is provided. The oven appliance includes a pair of doors and a pair of flanges. Each flange of the pair of flanges is mounted to a respective one of the pair of doors. The flanges engage and overlap each other when the pair of doors is in a closed position and include features for limiting wear between the flanges.
US09243802B2 Two-stage combustor for gas turbine engine
A combustor for a gas turbine engine comprises an inner annular liner and an outer annular liner. A first and a second combustion stages are defined between the liners, each said combustion stage having a plurality of fuel injection bores distributed in a liner wall defining the respective stage. Valves at the fuel injection bores of one of the combustion stages, the valves each defining an air passage from an exterior to an interior of the combustion stage, the valves each having an actuatable member for adjusting a size of a respective air passage for air staging the combustor.
US09243798B2 Illumination system
An illumination system for indirectly or directly illuminating an outer edge arrangement of a structure covered in tiles, such as for example a step of a staircase, includes at least one elongate profile that forms a base arm, a decorative arm projecting from a free end of the base arm and the outer surface of which forms a visible decorative surface in the correctly arranged state, and a fastening arm projecting from the other free end of the base arm, arranged opposite the decorative arm, at least one illuminant that is fastened or can be fastened within the receiving space defined by the base arm, the decorative arm and the fastening arm, and at least one elongate diffusion disc cover that can be fixed to the profile.
US09243792B2 Lamp
A lamp including the following elements is provided. A housing has an assembling opening and an electrical base on two ends thereof, wherein the housing has an inner wall and a portion of the inner wall adjacent to the assembling opening is an air-guiding wall. A cooling fan has a casing disposed at the assembling opening and forming an air channel, a fan wheel rotatably arranged in the air channel, and two partitioning boards between the air-guiding wall and the air channel so as to define two first air-guiding openings and a second air-guiding opening. A light-emitting module is arranged in the housing and opposite to the fan wheel. Accordingly, the present lamp does not require forming any air inlet or air outlet on the housing, and thus provides a simplifier structure.
US09243791B2 Light-emitting device and lighting device provided with the same
A light-emitting device capable of ensuring an electric connection between a light-emitting element and an electrode without generating any problem in practical use, by both connecting methods with a solder and a connector, and a lighting device provided with the light-emitting device are provided. The light-emitting device according to the present invention has a plurality of LED chips, and a soldering electrode land and a connector connecting electrode land electrically connected to the chips, on a ceramic substrate. The soldering electrode land is formed of a first conductive material having a function to prevent diffusion to a solder, and the connector connecting electrode land is formed of a second conductive material having a function to prevent oxidation.
US09243785B2 Wall mount light assembly
A wall mount light assembly having a mounting base and a light housing. The mounting base has a base wall, and a plurality of walls extending outwardly therefrom that terminate at a distal end. The foregoing cooperatively defining a front opening perimeter. The base wall and the front opening perimeter are oblique to each other. The light housing comprises a lens portion and a mating perimeter. The lens portion and the mating perimeter are oblique to each other. The mating perimeter of the light housing and the front opening perimeter are configured to matingly engage in at least two different orientations. In each of the orientations, the position of the base wall relative to the lens portion is different, so as to direct a light emanating through the lens portion in a different direction.
US09243782B2 Fixtures for large area directional and isotropic solid state lighting panels
Reflector designs for a large area panel light source create induced draft cooling means adjacent to the panel light source. The panel light source has a wavelength conversion element on a solid state light source for emitting light of a first and second wavelength to form a broader emission spectrum of light from the panel light source.
US09243779B2 Multi-display system and translucent cover used thereby
A multi display system (10) includes a plurality of display panels (100) disposed adjacently to each other via a boundary portion (20), and a translucent cover (113) disposed on the plurality of display panels (100). The translucent cover (113) is disposed so as to cover the boundary portion (20) and overlapping with both of the plurality of display panels (100) which are disposed adjacently. The translucent cover (113) is constituted by a supporting portion (113P) which covers at least part of the display panel excluding the boundary portion (20), and a portion which is continuous to the supporting portion (113P) and includes a concave portion (113C) formed on the observer side in a position facing the boundary portion (20).
US09243778B2 Wavelength conversion element, light emitting device including wavelength conversion element, and vehicle including light emitting device
A wavelength conversion element includes a phosphor layer including phosphor particles configured to be excited by light from a light source and a matrix located among the phosphor particles; and a column-shaped structural body including at least two kinds of column-shaped bodies periodically arranged and in contact with the phosphor layer. The column-shaped bodies have different heights and/or different thicknesses. The column-shaped structural body is a photonic crystal.
US09243776B1 Solar simulator and method for solar simulation
A solar simulator including a support structure, two or more lighting modules connected to the support structure, wherein each lighting module includes a mounting structure and at least one multi-lamp assembly connected to the mounting structure, and a mobile sensor platform configured to sense light intensity and/or light spectrum.
US09243774B2 Light guides and backlight systems incorporating prismatic structures and light redirectors
Improved apparatus and method for collecting and directing light from a source via a light guide and modulated display assembly in an efficient manner through the design and use of prismatic optical structures, diffusers and/or light redirectors.
US09243769B2 Motor vehicle
A motor vehicle comprising a headlight lens having a monolithic body of transparent material, the monolithic body including at least one light entry face, a light passage section and at least one optically operative light exit face.
US09243768B2 Light source for headlight and headlight
In an LED2 having a directionality in an emission direction of emitted light, light emitted from a light emitting surface of the LED 2 is refracted by a semi-cylindrical concave lens 3 to be enlarged in the circumference direction of an optical axis of a headlight 1; thus, even when the LED2 is applied to a headlight that is constituted by optical members that are similar to optical members that are compatible with conventional light sources having no directionality, such as an incandescent lamp, a discharge lamp and the like, it can be used as a light source for headlight that is capable of illuminating the right and left directions ahead of a vehicle with a sufficient brightness.
US09243766B2 Lighting device for a vehicle
A lighting device for a motor vehicle headlamp is described. The device includes a reflector for focusing light emitted by a light source. At the rear end of the reflector is an opening to receive at least a part of the light source, and a reflector neck that surrounds the opening and to which the light source is fastened in a defined position relative to a reflective surface of the reflector. A plurality of locking members are formed on the reflector which in the course of a rotary movement of the light source about the optical axis of the reflector or about an axis parallel thereto when the light source has been at least partly inserted in the reflector neck, engage in corresponding perforations formed in the fight source.
US09243765B2 Exterior light for a motor vehicle, and a method for manufacturing such a light
A light is provided and a method is provided for manufacturing a light, with a carrier element, an illuminating device disposed on the carrier element with a circuit board and an illuminant mounted on the circuit board, and an optic. The one of the optics and the carrier element comprises at least one positioning element, which passes through an opening in the circuit board and engages in a recess in the other of the optics and the carrier element.
US09243763B2 Beacon light optic, beacon light, method for obtaining a beacon light optic
A beacon light optic, comprising a reflective surface having an optical axis wherein the reflective surface is composed of surface parts of at least two at least partly overlapping at least segments of rotation symmetrical surfaces, an entrance area comprising an entrance surface for allowing light to enter the beacon light optic, an exit area through which light exits the beacon light optic, a light emitting element disposed in front of the entrance surface such that light emitting from the light emitting element enters the beacon light optic through the entrance area.
US09243760B2 Optical light mixer providing a homogenized and uniform light beam
The present invention relates to an optical light mixer providing a homogenized and uniform light beam where the optical light mixer is formed of a solid transparent material and light enters the optical light mixer through an entrance surface and is reflected through said body to an exit surface where said light exits said optical light mixer. The optical light mixer comprises a first part formed as a pyramid frustum where the top surface of the pyramid frustum forms the entrance surface and a second part formed as a cone frustum and where the bottom surface the cone frustum forms the exit surface. The present invention relates also to an illumination device comprising a number of light sources and such optical light mixer.
US09243741B1 Telescoping monopod apparatus for holding photographic instrument
A telescoping monopod apparatus that is configured to hold a photographic instrument. The telescoping monopod apparatus includes a body that houses a control component and an electronic component. The body has a rotatable bottom end. The telescoping monopod apparatus includes a plurality of shafts disposed in an interior of the body. The upper end is opposite of the rotatable bottom end. The telescoping monopod apparatus includes a ball disposed on an uppermost shaft of the plurality of shafts. The telescoping monopod apparatus includes a spheroidal joint that is configured to receive the ball on a first end. The spheroidal joint is attached to a holder on a second end.
US09243737B2 Tripod apparatus
An attachment portion of a tripod is formed with an opening that penetrates in a longitudinal direction of the tripod, the rail member of the shooting sliding device is provided with an adapter for attachment to the tripod, a first contact surface between the adapter and the rail member is a flat surface, a second contact surface between the adapter and the tripod has a curved surface, an attaching female screw is embedded at the center of the attachment side of the tripod in the second contact surface, the tightening handle has a grip, and a male screw projecting from one end of the grip, the adapter is placed on the attachment portion of the tripod, the male screw of the tightening handle is screwed into the female screw embedded in the adapter through the opening of the attachment portion of the tripod, the curved surface of the second contact surface of the adapter and the curved surface on the inner side of the attachment portion of the tripod come into surface-contact with each other and come into contact with each other under pressure, and the shooting sliding device is attached and fixed to the tripod.
US09243735B2 Flow limiter and use of a flow limiter in an air distribution system of an air conditioning system of an aircraft
A flow limiter comprises a line segment with an air inlet and an air outlet and at least one resistance element. The resistance element is positioned within the line segment and impresses a predetermined flow resistance on an air flow that extends from the air inlet to the air outlet. Preferably, the resistance element extends at least in part in an axial direction of the line segment. Such a flow limiter is used to adjust an air volume flow and comprises particularly low generation of intrinsic noise.
US09243733B2 Valve device and fluid coupling comprised thereof
Embodiments of a valve device that reduces noise and vibration that may occur during low flow conditions in fluid couplings (e.g., valves and flow regulators). These embodiments utilize a plug and seat arrangement with geometry to prevent pressure differentials that cause the plug element to open and close in a cyclic pattern. In one embodiment, the valve device includes a seat element with an aperture and a plug element with a boss that extends into the aperture when the plug element contacts the seat element. The boss has an outer surface that forms a gap, which defines an annular area proximate the point of contact between the seat element and the plug element that is sized to reduce Venturi flow effects that cause the cyclic pattern to occur.
US09243728B2 Pipe with reinforced female end
A single piece of pipe connectable to a similar adjacent pipe and including a female end that is reinforced with a band. The pipe includes in one embodiment a male end having external threads, a female end having an enlarged exterior diameter, a first section at the female end having an interior diameter to receive a male end of the similar adjacent pipe, a second section at the female end having internal threads to mate with the external threads of the male end of the similar adjacent pipe. The first section is positioned to funnel the male end of the similar adjacent pipe to the second section, and the second section is positioned between an intermediate section and the first section. At least one reinforcement band is positioned circumferentially around at least a portion of the female end. The pipe is disconnectable from the similar adjacent pipe and reusable.
US09243727B2 High temperature fiber reinforced pipe
A high temperature flexible pipe and method of making a high temperature flexible pipe is provided. The pipe can have an inner tubular layer formed of a high temperature thermoplastic, a first reinforcing layer, a second reinforcing layer and an outer sheath. In one aspect, an insulating layer may be provided between the second reinforcing layer and the outer sheath. A method of making a flexible pipe is also provided. The first reinforcing layer is wound around the inner tubular layer and the second reinforcing layer is wound around the first reinforcing layer. An outer sheaf can be formed over the second reinforcing layer. In another aspect, an insulating layer can be formed over the second reinforcing layer before an outer jacket is formed over the insulating layer.
US09243724B1 Hose support
A support for a suction or ventilation hose extending upwardly through an open manhole and in a horizontal disposition from the manhole to a water pump intake or air pump including a lower horizontal support surface, a pair of laterally spaced side walls extending upwardly from the lower horizontal support surface and a generally U-shaped hose support surface extending along a curvilinear path between the side walls from a lower rear portion of the support to an elevated forward portion thereof. A depending stop is disposed rearwardly adjacent to the lower support surface. The stop defines a curvilinear abutment surface adapted to extend into an open manhole and abut a perimeter portion thereof upon the lower support surface being positioned adjacent to the manhole. A strap securement is provided for securing a portion of a hose against the hose support surface on said hose support.
US09243723B2 Universal mounting clamp
A mounting clamp for securing a conduit to a surface is disclosed. The clamp has a strap and a clampback. The clampback has a conduit support on one end portion and a curved section on another end portion. The strap has a first strap portion facing the conduit support and a second strap portion connected to the curved section to allow the first strap portion to bend toward or away from the conduit support. The first strap portion has at least one curved portion with a first radius of curvature to secure a conduit of a first range of sizes, and another curved portion with a second radius of curvature to secure a conduit of a second range of sizes that is partially different from the first range of sizes. The conduit support portion has two sidewalls spaced from each other, each with a curved segment to receive the conduit.
US09243721B2 Method and system for securing a pipeline to the bed of a body of water
A method of securing a pipeline to the bed of a body of water includes moving an underwater vehicle selectively, on the bed of the body of water, along the pipeline; transporting a plurality of fastening devices on the underwater vehicle; and driving each fastening device partly into the bed of the body of water, close to the pipeline, by a handling device mounted on the underwater vehicle, to confine the pipeline between the bed of the body of water and the fastening device.
US09243719B1 Safety relief valve
An adjustable safety relief valve is provided for use on a pressure vessel or a flow line with a pressurized fluid therein. In the preferred embodiment, the safety relief valve comprises a body with a closed bonnet and a chamber therein and an inlet and an outlet; the inlet including a valve seat; a disk member with an attached stem member closable on the valve seat; a mechanism in the body biasing the disk member to rest on the valve seat; a guide member supported in the bonnet to guide and limit disk member movement; and a skirt member affixed to the body, which surrounds the disk member and defines a uniform flow area with the inlet. The presented safety relief valve has improvements, which remove detriments to disk member movement and function, resulting in a safety relief valve with predictable performance and improved reliability.
US09243718B2 Diaphragm valve having spherically-shaped valve body and diaphragm sealing surface
A weir-type diaphragm valve includes a valve body having a spherically-shaped valve body sealing surface with a weir having a spherically-shaped weir sealing surface; and a diaphragm having a diaphragm sealing surface with a diaphragm weir sealing surface, the diaphragm responding to an applied force and providing sealing contact between the diaphragm weir sealing surface and the spherically-shaped weir sealing surface so as to stop the flow of fluid through a fluid flow channel of the valve body.
US09243717B2 Gate valve, method for returned drilling mud pressure control and/or well killing, and uses of a gate valve
A gate valve is provided for returned drilling mud pressure control and/or well killing. The gate valve includes a flow passage; and a gate member movable for intersecting the flow passage. The gate member includes a gate port which extends from one face to an opposite face of the gate member and is alignable with the flow passage for allowing material in the flow passage to pass through the gate member, and a groove or recess is provided in an inner wall of the gate port, the groove or recess extending from the one face to the opposite face of the gate member. A method is provided for returned drilling mud pressure control and/or well killing, and uses of a gate valve.
US09243710B2 Flexible connection rod
A flexible connecting rod arrangement for engines, hermetic compressors, and any application that requires a connection between a piston and a crankcase or any application that requires a connection between a linear slider and a crankcase.
US09243706B2 Manual transmission clutch control using measured torque
A method for controlling a manual transmission includes using a controller to determine a desired torque transmitted through an input clutch and a desired clutch slip for the desired gear after a shift lever is moved to a desired gear position and while a clutch pedal is being released for engaging the clutch; measuring torque in the vehicle drive assembly; using measured torque to determine actual clutch torque transmitted through the clutch; and reducing torque error using the controller to adjust a clutch actuator such that a difference between the desired torque and the actual torque is reduced. Slip error may also be reduced by adjusting the clutch actuator to reduce the difference between the desired slip and measured slip.
US09243703B2 Lubricating oil supply device
A lubricating oil supply device that supplies hydraulic oil used to actuate a vehicle's transmission. The supply device configured with a pump that generates a hydraulic pressure, and a line pressure generation valve that discharges a part of the hydraulic pressure from the pump as a discharge pressure to generate a line pressure for actuating the transmission. A signal pressure output valve that outputs a signal pressure for actuating the line pressure generation valve in accordance with at least a throttle operation amount or torque input to the transmission. Furthermore, a switching valve that is actuated by the signal pressure from the signal pressure output valve and that supplies lubricating oil input to an input port to the object to be lubricated from an output port with a flow rate of the lubricating oil changed.
US09243695B2 Electro mechanical actuator
A two-stage linear actuator particularly applicable to aircraft control surfaces. The first stage comprises a rotary input shaft driven by an electric motor having a helical threaded zone in its external surface at its inner end and a plurality of first helical roller gears configured to engage with the rotary input shaft in its helical threaded zone for rotating together. The second stage comprises a plurality of second helical roller gears configured to engage with the first helical roller gears for rotating together and with an output shaft having a helical threaded zone in its external surface at its inner end for converting the rotation of the second helical roller gears in a linear movement of the output shaft.
US09243694B2 Continuously variable transmission
A variable transmission arrangement having enhances power output and high efficiency is disclosed. The arrangement provides paired rollers positioned within retaining rotating elements for co-action with, for example, toroidal disks forming full toroidal cavity. The high efficiency is realized by minimizing spin between contracted rollers and toroidal disks. This is achieved by alignment of the rollers so that all corresponding rotational axes and lines tangential to contacting points, namely the input and output rotational axes as well as those of the rollers themselves intersect, thus minimizing spin. This relationship ensures the highest traction and reduced slip necessary for maximizing the output and power density. As many as nine pairs of wedged rollers can be used for overall ratio of 5:1 with ability to provide adequate and proportional clamping while respecting the geometric imperfections of the contacting surfaces. In a simplest configuration paired balls can be used where the balls exhibit self-alignment properties, thus minimizing the spin.
US09243692B2 Electric bicycle transmission
The invention includes a multi-speed transmission for an electric motor propelled bicycle with multiple gear combinations for driving the bicycle that constitute the full gear range of the transmission. A portion of the full gear range is operated to shift automatically and a portion is shifted manually. Additionally, the control of the electric motor and control of the shifting operations may be integrated to allow the output power of the motor to be decreased during a shifting operation.
US09243691B2 Noncircular synchronous transmission pulley set having periodically varying speed ratio and circumference compensating function
The present invention is to install a transmission belt between two noncircular synchronous transmission pulleys, thereby providing a non-sliding synchronous transmission feature between the belt and the pulleys, when the noncircular active pulley is driven to synchronously link the noncircular passive pulley to rotate through the transmission belt, a noncircular synchronous transmission pulley set having periodically varying speed ratio and circumference compensating function is formed, through the two pulleys being formed with certain noncircular wheel shapes, during the synchronous transmission, the circumferences of the two wheel shapes can be mutually compensated.
US09243690B2 Multispeed drive unit
A multispeed drive unit (10) comprising a rotary input (27) positioned to be driven by a power source and disposed at an input side of the drive unit (10); a rotary output (28) positioned to drive a driven unit and disposed at an output side of the drive unit (10), a transmission operably interposed between said rotary input (27) and said rotary output (28), said transmission having a gear (20) moveable between a high-reduction configuration and a low-reduction configuration, a first friction clutch (40) operable to fix said gear (20) in said high-reduction configuration, whereby said transmission is operable to reduce a speed of said rotary output (28) relative to said rotary input (27) when said first friction clutch (40) is engaged, and a second friction clutch (60) operable to fix said gear (20) in said low-reduction configuration, whereby said transmission is not operable to reduce the speed of said rotary output (28) relative to said rotary input (2) when said second friction clutch (60) is engaged.
US09243688B2 Method for operating an automated dual-clutch transmission
A method for operating an automated dual-clutch transmission having two sub-transmissions, with which shafts are associated, which transmit a/no torque as active/inactive shafts when a sub-clutch is engaged/disengaged and a gear is engaged/disengaged, the size and direction of said torque being dependent on the particular gear that is engaged, wherein even gears are associated with an even shaft and odd gears are associated with an odd shaft. When an odd/even gear is engaged, that is, when the odd/even shaft is active, a gear is also initially engaged on the inactive even/odd shaft, in order to change a critical resonance slip speed.
US09243684B2 Chain
A chain is provided, whose strength is increased and whose power loss is reduced as a result of reduced friction resistance between link units and link plates. A pair of link plates 160 are pivotally coupled to a link unit 101 in the chain 100. A pair of connecting pin portions 110 and a pair of plate portions 140 are inseparably joined at joint parts 150 to form one link unit 101. A stopper portion 123 is provided to the connecting pin portion 110 between a plate portion 140 and a link plate 160 adjacent each other in the width direction to restrict the link plate 160 from coming closer to the plate portion 140.
US09243683B2 Toothed belt
A toothed belt is provided that has excellent environment resistance, high load resistance, high stiffness, and achieves high accuracy, light weight, compactness and low noise.A toothed belt is provided with a belt body including a plurality of core wires juxtaposed in the width direction of a rubber portion, a plurality of tooth rubber portions formed on one surface of the belt body, and a tooth cloth covering the surface of the tooth rubber portions. The rubber portion contains dioctyl sebacate and trimellitic acid ester in a mass part ratio of 1:19 to 1:1, the mass percentage of the dioctyl sebacate to the whole quantity of the rubber portion is less than 4 mass %, and the mass percentage of the total quantity of the dioctyl sebacate and the trimellitic acid ester to the whole quantity of the rubber portion is in a range from 4 mass % to 8 mass %.
US09243682B2 Double knit twill fabric for power transmission belts and belts constructed thereof
A power transmission belt. The power transmission belt includes a body having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter. A fabric is attached to the inner perimeter of the body for reinforcement wherein the fabric is a double knit fabric formed using textured yarns in at least the cross-machine direction. The belt may further include a layer of reinforcing cords surrounding the outer perimeter of the body.
US09243680B2 Fluid-filled type active vibration damping device
A fluid-filled type active vibration damping device including: a pressure-receiving chamber; an equilibrium chamber; an orifice passage permitting fluid flow between the two chambers; an oscillation member oscillated by an electromagnetic actuator; an intermediate chamber; and a pressure transmission passage through which pressure fluctuations produced in the intermediate chamber is applied to the pressure-receiving chamber. The intermediate chamber is provided independently of the equilibrium chamber. The pressure transmission passage comprises a filter orifice tuned to higher frequency than the orifice passage. A movable plate is provided for limiting an amount of fluid flow through the filter orifice. A leak hole is formed for continuously interconnecting the intermediate chamber and the pressure-receiving chamber, and a liquid column resonance frequency of the leak hole is set to not more than half of that of the filter orifice.
US09243679B2 Anti-vibration device
The present invention is an anti-vibration device (1) that includes: a first mounting component (2) that is cylindrically-shaped and joined to one of a vibration generating portion and a vibration receiving portion; a second mounting component (3) that is joined to the other one of the vibration generating portion and the vibration receiving portion; a first elastic body (4) that elastically joins the first mounting component (2) and the second mounting component (3) together; a fluid chamber (5) that is provided inside the first mounting component (2) and inside which a fluid is sealed; a first partitioning wall (10) that divides the fluid chamber (5) in an axial direction so as to define a main fluid chamber (8), a portion of wall surfaces of which is the first elastic body, and an auxiliary fluid chamber; a second partitioning wall (12) that divides the main fluid chamber (8) in a circumferential direction so as to define a plurality of divided main fluid chambers (11); and a plurality of restricting passages (35) that enable the plurality of divided main fluid chambers (11A, 11B) and the auxiliary fluid chamber (9) to communicate with each other, wherein at least a portion of the first partitioning wall (10) is formed by a second elastic body (26) that is elastically deformable, the second partitioning wall (12) is joined to both the second mounting component (3) and the second elastic body (26), and the second elastic body (26) has differences in rigidity in a radial direction.
US09243678B2 Impact absorbing unit for a vehicle
An impact absorbing unit for a vehicle which is subjected to an axial compressive force from the impact in the event of a traffic collision, which includes a columnar piece of wood and a metallic housing covering lateral faces of the piece of wood. The housing has an uneven configuration formed in an outer surface or an inner surface, and the housing bulges outwards when subjected to an axial compressive force.
US09243677B2 Vibration isolator
A vibration isolator is provided comprising a base structure, a load structure and at least one vertical air gap formed by opposing and substantially parallel walls of the base structure and the load structure. The opposing walls being at least partly covered by respective arrays of permanent magnets, neighboring magnets in the arrays having alternating magnetization directions, an arrangement of the permanent magnets in the arrays being such that a gravitational force on the load structure is substantially compensated by a net magnetic force of the base structure on the load structure.
US09243673B2 Driving force transmission control apparatus
A driving force transmission control apparatus includes a multiple disc clutch including a plurality of outer clutch plates, and a plurality of inner clutch plates; a pressing mechanism that presses the multiple disc clutch; and a control portion that controls the pressing mechanism. The outer clutch plates and inner clutch plates are engaged with an intermediate shaft and an inner shaft respectively. The control portion makes a determination as to whether the multiple disc clutch is in a first operating condition in which the multiple disc clutch is pressed with a relative rotation speed between the intermediate and the inner shafts being equal to or higher than a predetermined value, or in a second operating condition in which the multiple disc clutch is pressed with the relative rotation speed being lower than the predetermined value, and the control portion controls the pressing mechanism based on a result of the determination.
US09243671B2 Fixed type constant velocity universal joint
A fixed type constant velocity universal joint includes an outer joint member, an inner joint member, a plurality of balls for transmitting torque provided between track grooves of the outer joint member and track grooves of the inner joint member, and a cage for retaining the balls. Grease is enclosed in the fixed type constant velocity universal joint which includes a thickener and a lubricant component which is constituted by base oil. The grease contains 90% by mass or more of paraffinic mineral oil with respect to the total mass of the lubricant component of the grease, and 3 to 8% by mass of the thickener with respect to the total mass of the components of the grease.
US09243669B2 Torque converter flex plate for hybrid electric vehicle
An assembly includes a torque converter concentric with an axis and including a casing, a rotor hub drivably connected for rotation about the axis to an electric machine, a coupler connected to the rotor hub, and a flex plate coupled for elastic displacement between the coupler and a surface of the casing that faces away from the coupler.
US09243668B2 Shaft bearing support assembly for waterborne equipment
The present invention is directed to a shaft bearing support assembly for waterborne equipment, including: at least one bearing; at least one tapered forcing ring; a housing; and at least one adjusting device. The outer circumference of each of the at least one bearing is surrounded by one tapered forcing ring which is arranged inside the housing. The at least one adjusting device communicates with each of the at least one tapered forcing ring. A force generated by the at least one adjusting device is transmitted to the at least one tapered forcing ring to longitudinally move the at least one tapered forcing ring, causing the at least one bearing to constrict radially and to adapt to a desired clearance over a diameter of a shaft.
US09243665B2 Linear motion guide unit with lubricating member
A linear motion guide unit makes application of lubricant around rolling elements at the turnaround passage to accomplish securely the maintenance-free lubrication over a prolonged period of time. A lubricant reservoir plate of porous compact is composed of a lubricant reservoir major body impregnated with lubricant and an applicator nose which is different in the molded density from the lubricant reservoir major body. The lubricant reservoir plate impregnated with lubricant is composed of the lubricant reservoir major body installed in a recess made in the end cap and the applicator nose extends through a slot of the turnaround passage to expose itself to the turnaround passage to make application of lubricant around the rolling elements.
US09243661B1 Six-row ball bearing linear guideway
A six-row ball bearing linear guideway is provided with six rows of balls disposed between the slider and the rail. The six rows of balls are symmetrically disposed at two sides of the rail, the balls in the middle and upper rail rolling grooves bear and increase the load capacity in the downward direction. The balls in the lower rail rolling grooves bear a load in the upward direction, and the profile factor of the lower rail rolling grooves is smaller than that of the upper rail rolling grooves, thus the rated static load capacity in the upward direction is improved. The balls in the upper, middle and lower rail rolling grooves all serve to bear the load capacity in the lateral direction, thus the rated static load capacity in the lateral direction is improved. Hence, the rated static load capacity is improved in upward, downward and lateral directions.
US09243659B2 Systems and methods for composite frame systems
In various embodiments a frame system for a surgical system may include a plurality of rod structures cross connected through one or more structural members. In some embodiments, the rod structures may each include at least one rod with an interface joint molded over the at least one rod. One or more of the interface joints may include a receiving hole for receiving a structural member to couple at least two of the plurality of rod structures together. One or more surgical components (such as a surgical console) may be received into the frame system. Other components may also be received into the frame system (e.g., an aesthetic skin). The rod structures may also include cross face structural members that are secured to portions of the rod structures through being molded to the rod structures through the interface joints.
US09243656B2 Signaling device for emitting an acoustic and/or visual signal
A signaling device for emitting an acoustic and/or visual signal includes a base housing body and an upper housing part. The upper housing part is connected to the base housing body and forms a receiving space, in which at least one electrical component assembly is disposed. The connection means includes one or more locking pins, which can be disposed in a retaining manner on the upper housing part. The locking pins include a shaft, which can be inserted into a respective assigned opening in the base housing body, and on which at least one catch is disposed. The locking pins can be locked in the base housing body with the catch via a rotation about a partial angle of a full circle.
US09243655B2 Elastic attachment assembly and method of reducing positional variation and increasing stiffness
Included is a first component having a base outer surface. Also included is a plurality of elastically deformable protrusions extending from the base outer surface of the first component. Further included is a second component having a pocket portion configured to receive the first component therein, the pocket portion defined by a base wall and at least one sidewall extending from the base wall. Yet further included is a plurality of receiving structures defined by the base wall of the pocket portion and configured to receive the plurality of elastically deformable protrusions, wherein the plurality of elastically deformable protrusions is configured to elastically deform upon insertion to the plurality of receiving structures.
US09243652B2 Hydraulic circuit
A de-aeration hydraulic circuit having application in a hydromechanical transmissions utilizes a hydraulic fluid reservoir to de-aerate hydraulic fluid. The circuit includes a high pressure side and a low pressure side having a bleed down valve therebetween, the opening of the bleed down valve causing fluid to flow from the high pressure side to the low pressure side and through a valve to the hydraulic fluid reservoir where the pressure drop causes gas that is entrained in the fluid to bubble out and vent from the atmospheric reservoir.
US09243650B2 Fin array for use in a centrifugal fan
A heat exchanger including an array of tubes and fins is configured to reside in a centrifugal fan enabling the centrifugal fan to operate as a cooling and or heating source.
US09243649B2 Adjustable mechanical coolant pump
An adjustable mechanical coolant pump for an internal combustion engine includes a pump rotor wheel comprising an axial inlet. The pump rotor wheel is configured to pump a coolant radially outwardly. Variable pump stator blades are arranged so as to pivot radially outwardly at a circle concentrically with the pump rotor wheel. A control ring is configured to pivot the variable pump stator blades when the control ring is rotated. An actuator is configured to rotate the control ring so as to pivot the variable pump stator blades between an open position and a closed position. A pump housing body is configured to support the variable pump stator blades and the control ring. A separate static blade holding frame is mounted to the pump housing body. The variable pump stator blades and the control ring are captively mounted at the separate static blade holding frame.
US09243648B2 Removable throat mounted inlet guide vane
In certain embodiments, a system includes an inlet guide vane assembly. The inlet guide vane assembly includes a plurality of inlet guide vanes disposed in a radial pattern around a central axis and configured to rotate about axes orthogonal to the central axis. The inlet guide vane assembly also includes a plurality of vane shafts, each connected to a respective inlet guide vane and configured to rotate with the respective inlet guide vane about the respective orthogonal axis. The inlet guide vane assembly further includes a drive shaft directly connected to one of the vane shafts and configured to directly cause rotation of the vane shaft to which it is directly connected and to indirectly cause rotation of the remaining vane shafts in the plurality of vane shafts. In addition, the inlet guide vane assembly includes a rotary actuator connected to the drive shaft and configured to cause rotation of the drive shaft.
US09243647B2 Aircraft propulsion system nacelle
An aircraft propulsion system has an engine assembly having an axis of rotation, a fan assembly operatively connected to the engine assembly and comprising a plurality of fan blades arranged circumferentially around the axis of rotation and a monolithic nacelle assembly which circumferentially encloses the fan assembly. The propulsion system has a ratio of fan assembly outer diameter to nacelle assembly outer diameter of at least 0.87. As a result, the propulsion system provides for a significantly larger fan assembly outer diameter for a given nacelle assembly outer diameter than a conventional prior art turbofan engine, thereby increasing the specific power output or the bypass ratio of the propulsion system, which will result in improved propulsive efficiency without an increase in nacelle drag.
US09243644B2 Method and device for controlling a hot restart of a centrifugal compressor
Methods, devices and systems capable of performing a hot restart of a compressor driven by a turbine are provided. The turbine has a high speed shaft and a low speed shaft connected to the compressor. A base slow roll speed at which a speed of the low speed shaft is in a slow roll range is maintained at the high speed shaft for a predetermined time. Then, when a vibration amplitude of the compressor is larger than a vibration limit, the maintaining is repeated. Otherwise, a set speed of the high speed shaft is increased, until a current speed of the low speed shaft reaches a minimum operating speed. If, while increasing the set speed, the vibration amplitude becomes larger than the vibration limit, the maintaining is repeated.
US09243643B2 Cabin air compressor housing
A cabin air compressor housing for a cabin air compressor assembly includes a compressor volute configured to direct a compressed flow to a compressor outlet. The cabin air compressor housing also includes a journal bearing support having a journal bearing bore. The cabin air compressor housing further includes an interior portion between the compressor volute and the journal bearing support. The interior portion includes a plurality of cooling airflow holes having a ratio of a diameter of the journal bearing bore to a diameter of one of the cooling airflow holes between 3.64 and 4.52.
US09243642B2 Cooling system for use in a portable communication device
A cooling system for use in a portable communication device includes a detection module, a cooling module and a central control module. The detection module detects whether the portable communication device is in a communication state and generates an acknowledgement signal. The cooling module includes a fan and a driving unit. The central control module is electrically coupled to the detection module and the driving unit, detects an operational temperature of said device, and generates a detected temperature value corresponding to the detected operational temperature. The central control module controls the fan to operate in a silent mode or a cooling mode. The central control module controls the fan to operate in the silent mode if the central control module receives the acknowledgement signal when the detected temperature value is smaller than a temperature threshold value, else the central control module controls the fan to operate in the cooling mode.
US09243639B2 Scroll compressor including a sealing member
A scroll compressor includes a housing, a fixed scroll, and a movable scroll. A compression chamber is formed between the movable scroll and the fixed scroll. An opposing wall is located in and fixed to the housing. A back pressure region is formed between the opposing wall and the movable scroll, and a back pressure in the back pressure region urges the movable scroll toward the fixed scroll. An annular sealing member is arranged between the movable scroll and the opposing wall. The movable scroll includes a holding portion that holds the sealing member. The sealing member includes a rubber portion, which elastically deforms in the holding portion, and a resin portion, which is made of a material harder than the rubber portion. The resin portion at least partially projects out of the holding portion toward the opposing wall. The resin portion is in contact with the opposing wall.
US09243635B2 Compressor with different resin hardness layers
A compressor includes a compression mechanism and a resin layer including a stack of three or more layers formed on a whole area or a portion of at least one surface of at least one part of the compression mechanism. A hardness of a layer most distant from a base in the resin layer is smaller than a hardness of a layer closest to the base in the resin layer. A difference in hardness between two adjacent layers in the resin layer is smaller than a difference in hardness between the layer most distant from the base and the layer closest to the base.
US09243633B2 Device for branching off a fluidic partial flow
A device for branching a fluidic partial flow off a main flow by a hydraulic pump (10) includes individual main chambers (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) sealed from each other and divided into functional groups, and operates according to the displacement principle. The chambers enable fluid from at least one main flow inlet (22) to be transported from an inlet or suction side to an outlet or pressure side of the hydraulic pump (10) and then via at least one main flow outlet. At least one independent partial chamber (26) is provided for the transport of the partial flow in addition to the main chambers (12, 14, 16, 18, 20). The partial chamber forms part of the pressure side of the hydraulic pump (10) and is connected to an independent partial current outlet (42) separate from the main flow inlet (22) and the main flow outlet (24).
US09243632B2 Variable displacement oil pump
An oil pump includes first and second control chambers, a biasing mechanism, and a changeover mechanism. The changeover mechanism connects the first control chamber with a drain portion when a valving element is in a first position, introduces a discharge pressure into the first and second control chambers when the valving element reaches a second position, and drains oil of the second control chamber to the drain portion and introduces the discharge pressure into the first control chamber when the valving element reaches a third position. The changeover mechanism changes from the first position to the second position, when the discharge pressure becomes higher than a pressure level at which the cam ring can move against a set load of the biasing mechanism, and is lower than a pressure level at which a biasing force of the biasing mechanism is increased in a stepwise manner.
US09243631B2 System and method for monitoring pump lining wear
A system for monitoring wear of pump casing liners is disclosed. The system may include a wear sensor disposed in proximity to the pump casing liner so that the sensor wears at substantially the same rate as the lining. The wear sensor may include a plurality of circuit loops having different lengths. As the pump casing liner and the sensor wear during use, the plurality of circuit loops are sequentially breached. A control system monitors the signals from the plurality of circuit loops to develop liner wear information. This information is employed to signal a user when one or more predetermined wear thresholds are exceeded.
US09243627B2 Compressor temperature control by indirect temperature measurement
A method for regulating a compressor of a pressure supplying system. The compressor is switched on and off dependent on a threshold temperature of one or more components of the pressure supplying system, the threshold temperature being ascertained using a temperature calculating method. The respective threshold temperature is ascertained by correlating the reciprocal temperature dependence that exists as a result of heat transfer between adjacent components.
US09243626B2 Adhesive dispensing system and method including a pump with integrated diagnostics
An adhesive dispensing system includes a pump and at least one sensor positioned to sense movements of a component of the pump and produce signals based on the sensed movements. The dispensing system also includes a controller operating the pump and communicating with the at least one sensor to collect information regarding operational cycles of the pump based on the signals. As a result, one or more diagnostic processes are enabled at the controller during operation of the adhesive dispensing system. These diagnostic processes may include a leak rate test for the dispensing system, an overspeed detection test for the pump, and expected life cycle monitoring of the pump or other components.
US09243623B2 Three element diaphragm damper for fuel pump
A damper assembly for a fuel pump includes at least one diaphragm assembly formed by joining two metal diaphragms to respective two sides of an imperforate central plate, thereby creating a pair of closely spaced diaphragms, each acting upon its own gas volume. Preferably, the diaphragm assembly has (a) a circular or polygonal central plate, (b) a first circular diaphragm having a rim portion sealingly secured as by welding to the plate and a relatively thin, flexible, convex portion projecting from one side of the plate and defining a first pressurized gas volume, and (c) a second circular diaphragm having a rim portion sealingly secured as by welding to the plate and a relatively thin, flexible, convex portion projecting from the other side of the plate and defining an independent second pressurized gas volume. The diaphragm assembly can be supported radially inside, outside, or on the weld.
US09243620B2 Apparatus for controlling a linear compressor
The present invention discloses a linear compressor which can rapidly overcome load and improve compression efficiency, by synchronizing an operation frequency of a linear motor with a natural frequency of a movable member varied by the load and varying a stroke of the movable member according to the load. The linear compressor includes a fixed member having a compression space inside, a movable member linearly reciprocated in the fixed member in the axial direction, for compressing refrigerants sucked into the compression space, one or more springs installed to elastically support the movable member in the motion direction of the movable member, spring constants of which being varied by load, and a linear motor installed to be connected to the movable member, for linearly reciprocating the movable member in the axial direction, and varying a stroke of the movable member according to a predetermined refrigeration force, so that the movable member can be linearly reciprocated to reach a top dead center.
US09243617B2 Cam engine
The invention relates to a cam engine used in different field of the mechanical engineering, as internal-combustion engines, compressors, pumps etc. The cam engine comprises cylinders (26) with pistons (25), cylindrical tubular 3D cam (20) having a cam groove on the inner cylindrical surface and at least two asynchronously moving followers (1a and 1b) with arms (37) having main and additional rollers (3, 5).
US09243615B2 Systems and procedures for wind turbine self-diagnosis
Systems and procedures for wind turbine self-diagnosis which includes: a) A module for the identification (41) of potentially defective components based on the signs provided by the active alarms (31) of the wind turbine's control system, including a module for the filtration of alarms (43); b) A test module (61) with a plurality of tests for verifying the availability of the wind turbine's functional units; c) A self-diagnosis module (51) which manages the selection and sequential execution of the tests (61) applicable to the potentially defective components using a weighted algorithm for the tests (61); d) A communications module (53) which manages the storage and transmission of the results (55) of the self-diagnosis to a control center (73).
US09243610B2 Fluid powered turbine
A fluid powered turbine, such as a wind turbine (10), has a hollow column (12) in which a rotating turbine is housed. A fluid directing structure (14) is supported at or near an end of the column (12) remote from the turbine. The fluid directing structure (14) has a plurality of individual inlet openings (26) spaced around its periphery and is arranged to direct air at each inlet opening into an inner pipe (18). The incoming air is constricted both within the structure (14) and as it exits the column (12) whereby its speed is sufficient to rotate the turbine (20). The structure at the top of the column (12) generally requires no maintenance and maintenance of the turbine (20) is considerably easier than with traditional wind generators as access is easy. As the turbine is enclosed, it is safer than the traditional wind generators and less noisy.
US09243606B2 Device for converting the power of sea wave motion
A device for converting wave-motion power having a float, which, in use, is vertically movable in response to the wave-motion; the motion being transmitted to an input shaft which rotates with reciprocating rotary motion and is connected to an output shaft by way of a transmission unit. The transmission unit transfers torque from the input shaft to the output shaft along two torque paths and has two freewheels that are arranged respectively along the two paths, and are configured so as to make the rotation of the output shaft unidirectional, independently of the rotation direction of the input shaft.
US09243605B2 Power generating plant and floating plant for rivers and canals
A power generating and floating plant (100) over a natural river, a man-made canal or similar for the generation of electricity that comprises: a floating platform (102) of the Catamaran type with pontoons (112) that speed up the flow rate (300) entering into a turbine; a metal grill (113) between said pontoons (112) before the turbine; at least one turbine with a central shaft (103), wherein said turbine comprises a water wheel (101) with curved vanes (410) and at least two supporting disks (400), where said curved vanes (410) rest, and where said supporting disks (400) comprise a plurality of radial and concentric holes (402); and a low-engine speed, permanent magnet generator (105).
US09243601B2 On-board electrical system for a vehicle
An on-board electrical system for a motor vehicle contains a first energy storage unit with a first voltage level and a second energy storage unit with a second voltage level. A control unit controls a flow of current between the first energy storage unit and the second energy storage unit in both directions. A polarity-reversal protection diode connects the first energy storage unit for supplying operating voltage to the control unit. A switching element bridges the polarity-reversal protection diode when the polarity of the first energy storage unit is correct. The first voltage level is compared with the second voltage level by a comparator and the switching element is moved to its open state when the first voltage level drops to a threshold voltage value which is below the second voltage level.
US09243600B2 Method and system for improving automatic engine stopping
A method and system for improving automatic engine stopping and starting is presented. In one example, the method adjusts conditions for engine stopping in response to operating conditions that are evaluated according to one or more cost functions. The method may improve vehicle fuel economy and limit driver annoyances.
US09243594B2 Hydrocarbon storage canister
A system for a vehicle is provided herein. The system includes a fuel vapor canister comprising a shell, a compression plate within the shell and an end cap. The end cap includes a double sided spring interface and a double sided shell sealing surface having double sided identical grooves, only one of which is sealed to the shell. The system further includes a spring coupled to the compression plate and only one spring interface.
US09243590B2 Method of determining correction amount of opening degree of EGR valve, method of controlling opening degree of EGR valve, and engine
A method determines a correction amount of an EGR valve opening degree. A basic correction amount map is generated indicating a correlation between rotating speed, load factor, and the correction amount, while the opening degree is maintained at a reference opening degree and the EGR rate is maintained at a target EGR rate, based on correction amounts obtained for mutually different individual combinations of the rotating speed and the load factor. Estimated values of the correction amounts not contained in the basic map are acquired by estimating the distribution of the amounts not in the basic map based on a distribution trend. An extended correction amount map is generated indicating a correlation between the estimated values of the rotating speed, the load factor, and the correction amount while the opening degree is maintained at a reference opening degree and the EGR rate is maintained at a target rate.
US09243589B2 High-enthalpy fluid injection
Disclosed is a turbocharged internal combustion piston engine system that includes a waste-heat recovery system. The waste-heat recovery system involves injecting heated water into the cylinders during combustion to increase engine power and efficiency and to reduce emissions. The engine can be a spark or compression ignition type of engine, and can utilize fuels including but not limited to diesel, natural gas, gasoline, and ethanol. The engine also includes a turbocharger that utilizes a turbine in the exhaust gas flow to provide power to a compressor in the intake air flow to pressurize the intake air and provide additional charge flow to the engine to increase engine output.
US09243588B2 Variable pressure gaseous fuel regulator
Methods and systems are provided for varying fuel injection pressure in a gaseous-fueled vehicle. A mechanical pressure regulator may be modified to regulate the pressure of gaseous fuel to varying pressures based on electronic pressure feedback and engine operating conditions. In one example, a regulating pressure in a low pressure chamber of a pressure regulator may be varied by controllably flowing gaseous fuel into or out of a reference chamber of the pressure regulator, and the gaseous fuel exhausted from the reference chamber may be directed to the engine for combustion.
US09243584B2 Cylinder head gasket with compression control features
A cylinder head gasket including a first functional layer, a second functional layer, a first stopper, and a second stopper is provided. The first functional layer includes a first full bead extending around a combustion chamber opening and axially aligned with a second full bead of the second functional layer. The first stopper extends along the first functional layer between the combustion chamber opening and the first full bead for preventing over-compression of the first full bead. The second stopper extends along the second full bead of the second functional layer for increasing load on the second full bead, reducing head lift, and promoting an even distribution of the load. The second stopper includes a third full bead matching the second full bead of said second functional layer.
US09243577B2 Sensor for detecting the mass flow rate and the temperature of a fluid flow
A sensor for detecting the mass flow rate and the temperature of a fluid flow has a mass flow rate sensor having a mass flow rate sensor element, a temperature sensor having a temperature sensor element, and an interface for power supply. The sensor converts the measured values detected in analog by the mass flow rate sensor element and the temperature sensor element into digital output signals. In order to specify the simplest and most economical sensor possible for detecting the mass flow rate and the temperature of a fluid flow, at least one analog/digital converter is arranged in the sensor, which analog/digital converter converts the analog measured values of the mass flow rate sensor element and/or the analog measured value of the temperature sensor element into digital output signals and provides the digital output signals at a single digital interface.
US09243576B2 System and method for controlling NOx
A system and a method for controlling NOx may include predicting NOx generation amount by using a virtual sensor; comparing the NOx prediction amount with a predetermined NOx target amount; and controlling the NOx generation amount so as for the NOx prediction amount to follow the NOx target amount.
US09243572B2 Internal combustion engine and straddle-type vehicle equipped with the engine
A single-cylinder internal combustion engine includes a knock sensor mounted to apart other than a cylinder block to detect knocking. The engine includes a crankcase, a cylinder block, and a cylinder head connected by a bolt. A boss to mount the knock sensor is provided on the crankcase. A center of the boss is positioned on a same side of a cylinder axis as the bolt, when viewed in an axial direction of the boss.
US09243569B2 Variable cam timing control during engine shut-down and start-up
A method for controlling an electric variable cam timing (VCT) actuator is disclosed. The method includes during engine shutdown, adjusting camshaft position with an electric VCT actuator to a target starting location, applying a first current to the electric VCT actuator to maintain the target starting location, and during engine startup before camshaft position feedback becomes available, applying a second current to the electric VCT actuator to maintain the target starting location.
US09243568B2 Housing of a fresh gas supply device for an internal combustion engine and fresh gas supply device
A housing for a fresh gas supply device for an internal combustion engine with a turbocharger, includes a fresh gas connecting section which connects a charge air inlet and an air outlet. The housing has a main housing part and a housing cover, which can be removed from and secured to the main housing part. A corresponding fresh gas supply device includes the housing.
US09243567B2 System and method to control a gas turbine subject to fuel composition variation
A system and method control a gas turbine subject to fuel composition variation. The method includes operating a first effector to control the gas turbine based on fuel composition. The method also includes operating a second effector to maintain operation of the first effector within a first boundary limit, the second effector operation being initiated when the operating the first effector reaches a second boundary limit within the first boundary limit.
US09243565B2 Gas turbine engine fuel system metering valve
A metering valve for a gas turbine engine fuel system includes a sleeve including first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth ports respectively axially spaced apart from one another. A spool is slidably received in the sleeve and includes first, second and third seal lands. The first seal land selectively connects the first and second ports to one another, and the third seal land selectively connects the third and fourth ports to one another and the fifth and sixth ports to one another.
US09243561B2 Combustor head arrangement
A combustor head arrangement including a heatshield including an aperture therethrough. A meter panel having a cold side and a hot side, an aperture and a slot. At least one of the meter panel and the heatshield has a retaining feature on the cold side; one of the meter panel and the heatshield has an anti-rotation feature. The arrangement includes a burner seal sized to fit through the aperture in the meter panel from the hot side towards the cold side. The burner seal has a tang configured to pass through the slot when the burner seal is in a first orientation and to be retained by the retaining feature and the anti-rotation feature when the burner seal is rotated to a second orientation. Also a method of assembling the combustor head.
US09243559B2 Electrical harnesses
An aircraft gas turbine engine has first and second electrical harnesses formed from respective first and second flexible printed circuit boards which each provides a plurality of spaced conductive tracks. The conductive tracks carry signal types which either (i) provide engine control and can cause hazardous engine conditions in the event of their failure, (ii) detect or prevent hazardous conditions of the engine, or (iii) are not of type (i) and/or of type (ii). The first flexible printed circuit board provides all the conductive tracks which carry signals of type (i) or the first flexible printed circuit board provides all the conductive tracks which carry signals of type (ii). The second flexible printed circuit board provides all the remaining conductive tracks. The first electrical harness is fire-resistant for a period of five minutes without any exposure of its conductive tracks so that the conductive tracks can carry their signals.
US09243555B2 Engine front end accessory drive bracket
A system, comprising a vehicle engine with a crankshaft, a bracket structure coupled to the vehicle engine, a thermostat positioned in the bracket structure, an accessory device coupled to the bracket structure, a water pump mounted to the bracket structure, and a drive loop coupling the accessory device and water pump with the crankshaft.
US09243550B2 Turbocharger compressor inlet flow control
Systems and methods for controlling compressor inlet flow in a turbocharger of an engine are described. In one example, a method for controlling a compressor inlet flow of an engine turbocharger system includes: directing air from a high pressure source to an inlet upstream of a compressor wheel via a conduit coupled to the inlet and the high pressure source, where the conduit is obliquely coupled to the inlet.
US09243549B2 Actuating device for an exhaust flap
An actuating device includes an exhaust flap of a supercharging pressure control of turbocharged internal combustion engines. The exhaust flap is arranged pivotably in an exhaust pipe, in particular in the housing of a turbine of an exhaust-gas turbocharger, and controls in dependence on the compressor-side supercharging pressure the opening cross section of a bypass line which circumvents the turbine. The exhaust flap is arranged on an actuator arm which is fastened on a shaft mounted rotatably in the exhaust pipe and adjustable from outside the exhaust pipe via an adjustment lever and a control rod which is articulated thereto and via a linear control motor. In order to avoid vibration-induced buzzing noise in the actuating device, a friction damper is connected into the force flow between the shaft and the control rod, in particular for system damping in the region of the exhaust flap.
US09243548B2 Turbocharged power unit and method of operating under high load conditions
A first stage turbocharger configured to receive an ambient intake air stream. A compressor of the first stage turbocharger coupled to a first intercooler. The first intercooler coupled to a turboexpander stage. The turbine of the turboexpander discharging an expanded air stream to an intake manifold of an engine. The expanded airstream having a temperature of less than the ambient intake air stream, thereby reducing enabling operation of the engine under high load conditions while maintaining reduced emissions.
US09243542B2 Systems and methods for an exhaust gas treatment system
Various systems and methods are provided for an exhaust gas treatment system. In one example, a system includes an exhaust gas treatment device and a wire wrapped around an exterior circumference of the exhaust gas treatment device. Continuity of the wire is monitored such that degradation of the wire due to degradation of the exhaust gas treatment device is indicated.
US09243539B2 Catalyst composition
A catalyst composition comprises a mixed metal catalyst which comprises unalloyed palladium and palladium-gold alloy disposed on a support, wherein the palladium-gold alloy is enriched in gold and at least one promoter in which said promoter comprises at least one reducible metal oxide.
US09243538B1 Reduced emissions internal combustion engine systems
Internal combustion diesel engine systems and methods of operation are disclosed that include a diesel engine, an exhaust gas recirculation system, a wastegated turbocharger, an exhaust throttle, and a vanadia selective catalytic reduction catalyst downstream of the exhaust throttle.
US09243537B1 Exhaust aftertreatment system for an internal combustion engine and method for operating same
An exhaust aftertreatment system for an engine includes an exhaust valve assembly having a first port, a second port, and a third port, the exhaust valve assembly being configured to effect selective fluid communication between the first port, the second port, and the third port; an exhaust conduit fluidly coupled to an exhaust port of the engine and fluidly coupled to the first port of the exhaust valve assembly; an exhaust aftertreatment device fluidly coupled to the second port of the exhaust valve assembly; a bypass conduit fluidly coupled to the third port of the exhaust valve assembly, the bypass conduit configured to bypass a flow of exhaust around the exhaust aftertreatment device; a reductant supply in selective fluid communication with the exhaust conduit; and a controller operatively coupled to the exhaust valve assembly and the reductant supply.
US09243534B2 Gaseous reductant injection control system
A gaseous reductant injection control system for exhaust aftertreatment is disclosed. In one embodiment, a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst is in fluid communication with an exhaust stream generated from an engine. An oxidation catalyst (OC) is upstream of the SCR catalyst and in fluid communication with the exhaust stream. A gaseous reductant injector is upstream of the SCR catalyst and downstream of the OC and in fluid communication with the exhaust stream. A first gas sensor is upstream of the OC and a second gas sensor is downstream of the SCR catalyst. A controller receives signals representative of gas concentrations detected in the exhaust stream by the first gas sensor and the second gas sensor, and estimates concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) and nitride dioxide (NO2) in the exhaust stream therefrom.
US09243530B2 Fuel injection system for internal combustion engine
An object of the invention is to provide a fuel injection technique suitable for a spark-ignition internal combustion engine equipped with a first fuel injection valve for injecting fuel into a cylinder, a second fuel injection valve for injecting fuel into an intake passage, and a particulate filter provided in an exhaust passage thereof. To achieve the object, the fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine according to the invention reduces an in-cylinder injection ratio, which is the ratio of the quantity of fuel injected through the first fuel injection valve to the quantity of fuel injected through the second fuel injection valve, when the quantity of particulate matter trapped in the particulate filter is larger than a threshold value, thereby reducing the quantity of particulate matter discharged from the internal combustion engine.
US09243529B2 Device for processing blow-by from V-type internal combustion engines
An object of the invention is to improve space efficiency, while ensuring a desired blow-by gas processing performance. As gas routes that connect a crankcase and each of intake passages, a first gas route and a second gas route connected to respective throttle upstream parts of the intake passages on the upstream side of each throttle valve for each bank, and a third gas route connected to a throttle downstream part of the intake passage for one of the banks are provided. Separators are disposed in the respective gas routes, for separating oil mist from blow-by gas. Only the first separator having a comparatively large capacity is disposed in the first bank on the side where a crankshaft rotates upward from the bottom. The second and third separators are both juxtaposed to each other in the second bank on the side where the crankshaft rotates downward from the top.
US09243522B2 Valve timing controller
Provided is a valve timing controller capable of quickening a response in varying a relative rotational phase. When the valve timing controller is under a locking state, if an ECU outputs a phase maintenance signal indicative of a phase maintaining state wherein control for maintaining the relative rotational phase within a predetermined range by work fluid present in an advancing chamber and a retarding chamber is possible, an intermediate locking mechanism is switched to a lock-releasing state and also the relative rotational phase is maintained to an intermediate locking state.
US09243515B2 Support hanger for flexibly connecting a plurality of panels
A turbine engine case includes a first panel, a second panel and a support hanger. The second panel defines an aperture. The support hanger includes a strut that is connected to the first panel, and a base that is pivotally connected to the strut. The base includes a pivot member that is pivotally engaged with the second panel. The base extends away from the strut and through the aperture to the pivot member.
US09243512B1 Rotary machine with a frangible composite blade
A rotary machine with at least one frangible composite blade that mitigates adverse conditions associated with release of material resulting from impact damage to the composite blade is provided. The composite blade having provisions for dissipating energy, self-shredding, and predetermined release trajectory. A method for manufacturing the composite blade and assembling the blade into a rotary machine is also provided.
US09243509B2 Stator vane assembly
The present application thus provides a stator vane assembly for a turbine engine. The stator vane assembly may include a casing slot and a number of ring segments positioned within the casing slot. Each of the ring segments may include a first end and a second end. The first end and the second end may have a stepped configuration.
US09243503B2 Components with microchannel cooled platforms and fillets and methods of manufacture
A component includes a substrate that has outer and inner surfaces. The inner surface defines at least one hollow, interior space. The outer surface defines pressure and suction sidewalls that are joined together at leading and trailing edges of the component and together form an airfoil portion of the component. The outer substrate surface further defines at least one platform and at least one fillet that extends between and integrally connects the airfoil to the respective platform. The outer surface defines one or more grooves that extend at least partially along a respective fillet. Each groove is in fluid communication with a respective hollow, interior space. The component further includes a coating disposed over at least a portion of the outer substrate surface and including at least a structural coating that extends over the groove(s). The groove(s) and the structural coating together define channel(s) for cooling the respective fillet.
US09243501B2 Turbine airfoil platform rail with gusset
A blade for a gas turbine engine includes a shank interconnecting a root and a platform, and an airfoil extending radially from the shank. The shank includes a pocket with the platform overhanging the pocket. A rail extends axially along a lateral edge of the platform and extends radially inward from the platform in a direction opposite the airfoil. A gusset extends from an underside of the platform facing the pocket and in a circumferential direction between the rail and the shank.
US09243497B2 System for seafloor mining
A system for seafloor mining. A seafloor auxiliary mining tool works a seafloor site to prepare a bench, and deposits cut ore in a gathering area. A seafloor bulk mining tool undertakes production cutting of a bench and deposits cut ore in a gathering area. A seafloor gathering machine gathers cut ore deposited in the gathering area and pumps gathered ore as a slurry to a riser base. A riser and lifting system receives slurry from the gathering machine and lifts the slurry to the surface. A surface vessel receives slurry from the riser and lifting system.
US09243496B2 Method and apparatus for bulk seafloor mining
A seafloor bulk mining tool for production cutting of a seafloor bench. The tool uses a tracked locomotion system to travel across a seafloor bench. Power and control interfaces receive power and control signals from a surface source. The tool has a drum cutter for cutting the bench, and a sizing grill adjacent the drum cutter for sizing cuttings as they are produced by the drum cutter. A drum shroud may also be provided to help contain cuttings. A suction inlet can be used to capture cuttings as they are produced, for example in conjunction with a spade and augers.
US09243492B2 Downhole apparatus, device, assembly and method
A downhole assembly includes an apparatus for generating a fluid pressure pulse downhole. A disclosed apparatus for generating a fluid pressure pulse downhole includes an elongate, generally tubular housing defining an internal fluid flow passage and having a housing wall. The apparatus also includes a device for selectively generating a fluid pressure pulse, the device having a cartridge which can be releasably mounted entirely within a space provided in the wall of the tubular housing. The internal fluid flow passage defined by the tubular housing is a primary fluid flow passage. A secondary fluid flow passage has an inlet which communicates with the primary fluid flow passage. The cartridge houses a valve actuable to control fluid flow through the secondary fluid flow passage to selectively generate a fluid pressure pulse. Data relating to a measured downhole parameter or parameters can be transmitted to surface via the pressure pulses.
US09243491B2 Methods and compositions for determination of fracture geometry in subterranean formations
Disclosed herein is a method comprising disposing in a formation fracture, a proppant and/or a fracturing fluid that comprises a radiation susceptible material that comprises indium and/or vanadium; irradiating the radiation susceptible material with neutrons; measuring gamma-radiation emitted from the radiation susceptible material in a single pass; wherein the single pass does not involve measuring of background radiation from previous or subsequent logging passes; and determining formation fracture height from the measured gamma-radiation.
US09243489B2 System and method for steering a relief well
A system and method for steering a relief well to intersect a previously drilled wellbore. In one embodiment, a system includes a drill string disposed in the relief well and a surface processing system. The drill string includes a plurality of sections of wired drill pipe connected end-to-end, and a bottom hole assembly disposed at a downhole end of the drill string. The bottom hole assembly includes a drill bit, a steering tool configured to direct the drill bit towards a target, and an acoustic sensing tool. The acoustic sensing tool includes a plurality of acoustic sensors configured to detect acoustic signals emanating from fluid flow in a target wellbore. The surface processing system is coupled to the uphole end of the drill string, and is configured to determine a direction to the target wellbore based on the acoustic signals detected by the acoustic sensors.
US09243488B2 Sensor mounting assembly for drill collar stabilizer
A drill collar assembly allows a sensor to be mounted with the same standoff from a borehole wall independent of the size of stabilizer and borehole involved. A sensor component disposes in a receptacle in the drill collar, but does not affix in the receptacle. Instead, a stabilizer fits on the drill collar and covers the receptacle, and the sensor component mounts directly to the underside of the stabilizer so the component “floats” or “suspends” in the receptacle. The sensor component can mount at a stabilizer blade so the sensor can be positioned in closer proximity to the borehole wall to measure parameters of interest. Because the drill collar and sensor component can be used in different sized boreholes, different sized stabilizers may be positioned on the drill collar to account for the different sized boreholes while the sensor still has the same standoff.
US09243487B2 Electrofracturing formations
A method is provided to produce hydrocarbons from a formation, the method includes the steps of: placing a pair of electrodes within a formation; applying differential voltages between pairs of electrodes wherein the voltage differences between the electrodes is greater than at least 10,000 volts; and producing hydrocarbons from the formation or an adjacent formation wherein the formation has an initial permeability of less than ten millidarcy. The invention also includes an apparatus effective to release pulses of electrical energy into the formation as this frequency and voltage at least until the formation has reached a point where the electrical potential arcs from one electrode to at least one other electrode.
US09243485B2 System and method to initiate permeability in bore holes without perforating tools
A shockwave generator pre-treats one or more production zones within a well to facilitate recovery of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons from the well. The well may be heated to a particular temperature, where after a cooling agent is introduced through the shockwave generator which effects a cooling action in the walls of the well and induces cracking which is propagated by the tremors or shocks of the cooling agent as it exits the generator. The initiated cracks may be further propagated using one or more additional stimulation methods, including a freeze-thaw method which is implemented through a subsystem having overlapping components with the shockwave generator subsystem.
US09243481B1 Magnetically coupled expander pump with axial flow path
A compressor free, generator free system production well for accelerated oil and gas removal from a reservoir using a magnetically coupled expander pump assembly, which include an outer expansion turbine that rotates around a pump. A magnetic coupling couples the expansion turbine to the pump. An inner portion of the magnetic coupling can be coupled to a pump shaft that drives the pump. An outer portion of the magnetic coupling can be driven by the expansion turbine, which rotates circumferentially around the pump. The expansion turbine drives the fluid to pump a driven fluid stream through the magnetic coupling. In this manner, flow directions of both driving and driven fluid streams remain separate and coaxial, thereby facilitating a reduction in an overall diameter of the expander pump assembly.
US09243477B2 System and method for ultrasonically treating liquids in wells and corresponding use of said system
A treatment device for treating liquids in oil, gas or water wells comprises an ultrasonic treatment device (1). The ultrasonic treatment device (1) includes a resonator (2), a transducer (9) and a matching transformer (10) for transferring a maximum of power from an ultrasonic generator to the transducer (9) through a long cable (11). The cable (11) has a considerable length of at least 3 km and is attached to a generator (5).
US09243475B2 Extruded powder metal compact
A powder metal compact is disclosed. The powder compact includes a substantially elongated cellular nanomatrix comprising a nanomatrix material. The powder compact also includes a plurality of substantially elongated dispersed particles comprising a particle core material that comprises Mg, Al, Zn or Mn, or a combination thereof, dispersed in the cellular nanomatrix. The powder compact further includes a bond layer extending throughout the cellular nanomatrix between the dispersed particles, wherein the cellular nanomatrix and the dispersed particles are substantially elongated in a predetermined direction.
US09243474B2 Using dynamic underbalance to increase well productivity
An example underbalance pressure generator device includes a housing having a first end, a second end, and an implosion chamber between the first and second ends, one or more influx ports defined in the housing and enabling fluid communication between the implosion chamber and an exterior of the housing, at least one frangible member fixedly attached to the housing such that a pressure differential can be generated across the at least one frangible member between the implosion chamber and the exterior of the housing, and an actuation device within the housing and configured to rupture the at least one frangible member upon being triggered.
US09243464B2 Flow control device and methods for using same
A fluid flow control apparatus includes a biasing member applying a biasing force to a closure member, and a sealing member receiving the closure member. A dampener operatively connected to the closure member resists a force applied to the closure member. A fluid seal is formed when the biasing member presses the closure member against the sealing member. The closure member and sealing member may cooperate to control fluid flow along a fluid conduit formed in a wellbore tubular. The apparatus may include an actuator that controls the force applied to the closure member. The actuator may adjust the biasing force, and/or the dampening force. Also, a controller control the actuator may be responsive to a signal generated at a surface location, a downhole location, and/or a signal generated by a sensor.
US09243461B1 Catwalk mechanism and method for installing tubulars on a drill string
A method for moving tubulars from a horizontal position to a vertical position to perform one or more drilling operations, production operations, workover operations, or combinations thereof can include using a catwalk positioned adjacent to a drilling rig and a top drive connected to the drilling rig to hoist tubulars from the horizontal position to the vertical position.
US09243455B2 Methods for directing vertical drilling
Methods allowing precise directional drilling are provided. Such methods include use of directional drilling equipment which include a drill string with a hollow bottom rod connected to a boring tool by means of an obtuse-angle connection piece or “bent sub”. In order to restore the verticality of the drilling a vertical borehole section (F) is formed and then a probe equipped with an inclinometer is lowered inside the bottom rod. The string may be rotated into four angular positions and the inclination values of the probe in each angular position are detected at the depth reached. The string is rotated so as to bring it into an angular position corresponding to the maximum inclination value detected. The string is moved so as to move the boring tool further downwards and the inclination of the probe is detected again in order to check that verticality has been reached.
US09243451B2 System and method for pre-conditioning a hydrate reservoir
A method of drilling into a geological region including a subsurface clathrate reservoir includes drilling a borehole into the geological region including the subsurface clathrate reservoir and dissociating at least a portion of the clathrate in a region near the borehole. After the dissociating, material within at least a portion of the region near the borehole in which the clathrate has been dissociated is compacted to form a compacted region at least partially surrounding the borehole within the clathrate reservoir. After the compacting, well casing is placed into the borehole within the compacted region and the well casing is cemented into the borehole in the compacted area.
US09243449B1 Automated entrance
An automated entrance device includes a housing and a first and second panel operably coupled to the housing. The panels are positioned approximately at a 90° angle to each other. The first panel and the second panel rotate together from a first position to a second position to allow entrance to a user. After allowing a user to enter, the panels reset to the first position ready to selectively allow entrance to additional users.
US09243447B2 Roller shade assembly adjustment mechanism
In various implementations, a roller shade assembly may include an elongated body and a mechanism. The mechanism may include gears and a spring. The mechanism may allow the roller shade to be locked and/or unlocked using a driver. Internal component(s) of the roller shade may be adjusted using the driver.
US09243439B2 System for speech activated movement of a vehicle backdoor
A vehicle includes a moveable closure panel and a system for activating movement of the closure panel. The system is configured to receive a voice command to move the closure panel, identify the location of an object in an area surrounding the vehicle, and if the object is within a predetermined zone of the area for permitting movement of the closure panel in accordance with the voice command, generate an instruction to move the closure panel in accordance with the voice command. The vehicle further includes at least one actuator responsive to the instruction to move the closure panel in accordance with the voice command.
US09243434B2 Friction hinge for a console box lid
The hinge structure of a console box including a brake shaft and a braking device, arranged in a place displaced in the axial direction of a hinge shaft and disposed on one side of the hinge shaft. When opening and closing a lid, the drive shaft and the hinge shaft rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the lid, while a friction plate between the brake shaft and a braking plate is pressed against the rotating end face and the stationary brake plate, which is secured to a storage box, and a predetermined friction force can be produced continuously. Due to the friction force, the lid can be rotated under the influence of a moderate extent of rotational resistance when opening and closing the lid, and the position of the lid can be kept in the place where the lid stopped rotating within a rotatable range of the lid.
US09243433B2 Rotating door which is driven so as to be swivelable around a pivot
An rotating door driven so as to be swivelable around a pivot of the rotating door includes a rotary bearing; a connection element having a driver piece configured to receive the pivot of the rotating door, the driver piece being mounted in the rotary bearing; and a drive connectable to the pivot of the rotating door in frictional engagement via the connection element.
US09243432B2 Electronic apparatus having hinge assemblies with cover units
An electronic apparatus includes first and second device units, at least one hinge assembly configured to pivotally connect the second device unit to the first device unit and including a plurality of shaft members, and a plurality of cover units mounted on the at least one hinge assembly to hide the at least one hinge assembly. Each of the cover units includes a first cover member to hide a first side of the at least one hinge assembly and a second cover member to hide a second side of the at least one hinge assembly, a second cover member of each of the cover units is partially overlapped with an adjacent second cover member while the first and second device unit are folded, and a relative position of second cover members is changed according to an angle at which the first and second device units are unfolded.
US09243424B2 Hub assembly for a foldable tent
A hub assembly for a foldable tent includes a base and a plurality of slots formed on the base. Each slot is formed by a pair of side walls which are integrally formed on the base and includes a pivoting axis substantially normal between the corresponding pair of side walls. Poles are connected to opposing side walls of each corresponding slot for pivotal movement about the pivoting axis. In an open configuration of the tent inner ends of each of the poles engages the engaging surface of the base and is restricted from pivotal movement beyond the engaging surface, and in the closed configuration the inner ends of each pole is disengaged from the engaging surface of the base such that each pole is pivotable to a position substantially perpendicular to each corresponding engaging surface of the base.
US09243419B2 Support wire implanting anchor
A rod portion is coupled to a support wire at one end thereof and is rotatably coupled to a base portion of the anchor body portion. The anchor body portion includes the resistance plate body, an inner reinforcing plate, and an outer reinforcing plate, a first hitting portion is provided on the outer reinforcing plate, and a second hitting portion to be hit next to the first hitting portion is provided at a position higher than the first hitting portion.
US09243416B2 Storage tank insulation joint apparatus and method
A joint for fluid storage tank insulation systems. A central expansion joint forms a fluid-sealed recessed channel having a ridge-like cap. Water and moisture are directed away from the central expansion joint by the ridge-like cap. Any water that breaches the cap enters the recessed channel and flows out of the expansion joint without damaging tank insulation material. With installations having multiple expansion joints, at least one of the expansion joints can be equipped with an inverted cap to form a gutter within such expansion joint.
US09243415B1 Floor for a portable containment berm
A floor for a portable containment berm has an intermediate layer of flexible puncture-resistant material sandwiched between lower and upper sheets of flexible impervious material and at least one puncture-resistant and wear-resistant tread pad fixed to the top surface of the upper sheet of flexible impervious material. In one embodiment, the layer of puncture-resistant material and the sheets of impervious material are substantially coextensive and are welded in laminar relationship along their peripheries. In another embodiment, the intermediate layer of flexible puncture-resistant material includes at least two belts of flexible puncture-resistant material with the lower and upper sheets welded in laminar relationship along their peripheries and between each adjacent pair of belts. In either embodiment, the tread pads are welded to the top surface of the upper sheet of flexible impervious material in a configuration suitable to receive the wheels of a vehicle traversing the floor of the berm.
US09243413B2 Discharge vacuum relief valve for safety vacuum release system
Embodiments of the invention provide a pumping system and a discharge vacuum relief valve for use in a hydraulic system including a safety vacuum release system pump to circulate water in a swimming pool and/or a spa. The hydraulic system includes one or more check valves located on a discharge side of the safety vacuum release system pump. The discharge vacuum relief valve is capable of venting a vacuum at the discharge side of the safety vacuum release system pump during a vacuum event at a suction side of the safety vacuum release system pump.
US09243405B2 Trackless suspended ceiling
A suspended ceiling comprises first and second rows of panels being connected to overhead structures and an intermediate row of panels interposed therebetween. Each panel comprises front and rear edges and lateral sides. The first lateral side of a given panel of the intermediate row is configured to be releasably mounted to the complementarily configured lateral side of an adjacent panel of the first row. The second lateral side of the given panel of the intermediate row is configured to be releasably mounted to the complementarily configured lateral side of an adjacent panel of the second row. The given panel of the intermediate row can be removed by being lifted away from the panels of the first and second rows.
US09243404B2 Composite joist floor system
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems for connecting a flooring system to a vertical wall. In one embodiment the building structure includes a floor comprising a cementitious slab and a wall supporting at least a portion of the cementitious slab. A plurality of stand-off fasteners extend from the top of the wall into the cementitious slab and are configured to transfer forces between the cementitious slab and the wall. The stand-off fasteners comprise a lower portion and an upper stand-off portion. The lower portion is operatively coupled to the top of the wall, and the upper stand-off portion extends above the top of the wall and is encapsulated within the cementitious slab. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the lower portion is heat treated to a higher degree of hardness relative to the remainder of the stand-off screw.
US09243400B2 Rigid foam board installation clip
A clip for facilitating installation of foam insulation boards in a building structure. The clip comprises a body, a spacer and a foot for holding the insulation board, and a connection region for attachment of the clip to a building structural member. The clip is designed to ensure proper ventilation and greatly easy the proper installation of rigid foam insulation.
US09243399B2 Thermal clip system and apparatus for a building wall assembly
A thermal clip system suitable for use with a wall assembly. The clip comprises a base section and an arm section. According to an embodiment, the clip is formed a unitary piece from extruded aluminum. The base section is configured with mounting holes for receiving fasteners to secure the clip respective studs in a wall. The arm section includes a surface for fastening a girt member, wherein the girt member is configured to secure one or more exterior cladding panels. The base section may include a recessed cavity for receiving an insulating material to form a thermal break between the clip and the stud wall. The arm section may include a recessed slot for receiving an insulating material to form a thermal break between the clip and the girt member.
US09243398B2 Modular building system for constructing multi-story buildings
A modular building system for constructing a multi-story building includes prefabricated modular units. Each modular unit includes a horizontal slab for forming a floor/ceiling of the building, a joist extending horizontally along a first edge of the slab, the joist extending below the slab and extending horizontally beyond the first edge of the slab to form a receiving lip, columns positioned on top of the slab along the first edge, and connectors installed in cavities formed in the unit. A floor of the multi-story building is formed by arranging the modular units so that the slab of a first modular unit is positioned on the receiving lip of a second modular unit. An additional floor of the multi-story building is formed by arranging the modular units so that the joist portion of an upper modular unit is positioned on the columns of a lower modular unit.
US09243397B2 Method for the continuous production of composite formwork panel elements
A method for the continuous production of panel elements for the production of composite shuttering elements, of which each panel element has a shuttering panel of predetermined geometry with predetermined length. The shuttering panel is provided with fastening devices and reinforcement elements. According to the method a plurality of standard panels are lined-up abutting along their longitudinal edges against each other and being joined and glued together with the application of a pressing force. A panel band is created from the glued-together standard panels. Individual longitudinal portions are successively separated from the panel band, resulting in individual panels. The individual panels are successively cut to form the respectively individually predetermined geometries of the respective shuttering panel and are then successively provided with the fastening devices and then with the reinforcement elements.
US09243390B2 Capacitive sensing faucet including a conductive polymer
A capacitive sensing faucet is provided. In one exemplary embodiment, the faucet includes a a faucet body hub; a spout coupled to the faucet body hub; an insulator defining a capacitive coupling between the faucet body hub and the spout, wherein the insulator is formed from an electrically conductive polymer; a capacitive sensor having an electrode coupled to the faucet body hub; and a controller coupled to the capacitive sensor, the controller determining if the spout is touched by a user based on an output signal from the capacitive sensor.
US09243389B2 Integrated kitchen faucet side spray and diverter
A diverter assembly (12) for use with a faucet assembly (10) including a diverter valve (78) secured to an inlet end (80) of a sprayer tube (46) and removably received within a connector (62).
US09243388B2 Tap mounting
Apparatus and method for attaching a tap to a mounting surface (13) has a clamping assembly inserted through an aperture (11) in the mounting surface (13) and tightened from above the mounting surface (13). The clamping assembly has a pair of clamping arms (25, 27) that are mounted for pivotal movement from a collapsed position for passage through the aperture (11) to an operative position below the mounting surface (11). The clamping arms (25, 27) are operable on tightening the clamping assembly to engage in a first stage an underside of the mounting surface (13) remote from the fluid delivery device and to engage in a second stage a sidewall of the aperture (11) when continuing tightening. Thus a step change in an operating force is required that provides feedback to an installer that a required clamping force has been achieved.
US09243387B2 Water dispenser with a cleaning mechanism
The subject matter discloses a water dispenser apparatus, comprising a single suction unit for pumping water from a water container to a cold water tank and to a hot water tank. The single suction unit also pumps water from a suction tube connected to either the cold water tank or the hot water tank. The water sucked by the suction unit from the suction tube is circulated between the cold water tank and the hot water tank and when heated is used to clean tubes and tanks at the water dispenser apparatus and is transferred through tubes within the water dispenser apparatus. The subject matter also discloses a method for cleaning the water dispensing apparatus by activating a primary cleaning cycle and a secondary cleaning cycle for cleaning the water tanks and the tubes.
US09243384B2 Hybrid construction machine
Provided is a hybrid construction machine preventing an electrical storage device from overcharge, including a hydraulic actuator, a hydraulic pump, a generator-motor which performs electric generator and motor actions, an engine, an electric actuator which generates regenerative electric power, an electrical storage device which performs a charge-and-discharge action with the generator-motor and the electric actuator, a charge-rate detector which detects a charge rate C1 of the electrical storage device, and a control section which controls an operation of the generator-motor and a charge-and-discharge action of the electrical storage device. The control section, when the charge rate C1 exceeds a set value Cs, performs overcharge-prevention control of making assist power by the electric motor action of the generator-motor be greater than that when C1≦Cs, the set value Cs predetermined as a charge rate at which receiving the regenerative electric power can overcharge the electrical storage device.